Walks Like Summer
by batman'ssidekick
Summary: Les Mis Modern Highschool AU, basically. É/E at it's core.
1. In which enjolras is bumped into

**A/N: Hi! So I'm new to the fanfiction writing universe, so please be nice to me. I'm giving this a shot, I guess? Also this is a modern au because I couldn't bare to write the barricades. Review, if you want!  
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The blonde boy continued to walk in the rain. He had a bright red umbrella, but it didn't help him escape the Parisian rain. He was clearly a student, as one could tell by the red backpack he slung over his back, a gesture that on anyone else would look lazy, but the boy seemed to manage to make it seem elegant. Golden curls framed a handsome face, with a strong jaw and a permanent fire in the eyes that told of a determination and a passion.

A dark haired girl walked in a different direction, but to the same destination as the boy. She walked with at a pace that implied she wished to get there quickly, but each step showed a dread of actually reaching where she was going. She had no umbrella, and her dark hair was plastered to her face by the rain. A million thoughts ran through her mind at once, but a common theme connected them. A bitterness in her thoughts that aged her in a way years never could.

They collided within minutes. Two of them caught up in their own thoughts, one filled with wistful wonderments of revolution, the other worrying about a younger brother.

"My apologies, _mademoiselle,_" the boy said, holding his hand out to the girl he had knocked to the floor in his absent-minded walking. The girl took it gratefully, but avoided his eye as she dusted herself down.

"Not required. It takes two to cause a collision," the girl replied softly, more to the ground then to him. He couldn't help but nod in response to this, and found himself noticing how drenched the girl was.

"Pardon me, but you are absolutely soaked," he commented.

"Take this," he held out his umbrella to her. She looked at it as if it was on fire and refused immediately.

"I couldn't, _monsieur,_" she shook her head profusely and started to walk the way she was going. He jogged up to her.

"Please, _mademoiselle,_" he said, blocking her from walking past him. She looked at him, exasperately, and snatched the umbrella from his hands.

"If you insist, _monsieur,_" she said, with a touch of disdain in her voice. She did not deserve this courtesy, she was not of the upper-class like this boy clearly was. Without a look in his direction, she continued on her way to school. He stared, almost dazed after the red in a sea of dark blues and browns.

"Eponine!" a voice called behind the dark-haired girl. Her heart swelled at the cheerful voice, and spun around on the balls of her feet, her long hair whipping around, spraying water in all directions.

"_Monsieur_ Marius!" she smiled widely. He jogged up to her, and took her umbrella in his hand, shifting it to shelter them both. It was little gestures like this that made her melt.

"If I'd known you'd had an umbrella, I would have found you sooner," he joked. His smile caused little dimples to appear at the corners of his eyes, causing them to shine an even brighter blue. A blue that managed to highlight the freckles the were spattered all over his face.

"You would have, had you been on time this morning," she scolded lightly, trying her hardest not to let on that all she could think of were his lips.

"I'm sorry!" he surrended, holding up his hands in defence as she took her – _the blonde boy from earlier's_ – umbrella from him, as they had reached their school. She ignored the fact he hadn't noticed she was dripping wet, pushed down the feeling of disappointment that he had probably forgotten about her that morning, and that was why he hadn't been on time. She pushed it down and focused on his eyes on her, on how he lit up her world with a smile.

"Thanks for helping me with my homework yesterday, by the way," he grinned, falling into step beside her again. She couldn't help but grin back. Of course, it was more like she had done his homework while he played video games, but she didn't care. Time with Marius was time with Marius.

"Anytime," she said softly. This was half the reason she loved him as much as she did. He was always so kind to her, making her feel welcome. He acknowledged her efforts, never just brushed her off. She was too busy lost in the sound of his voice that she had forgotten to hear the actual words.

"You know Courfeyrac, right, Ep?" he asked. She winced at the nickname, and then nodded. Everyone knew Courf. He was the centre of the school, he was active, he was friendly. He was Eponine's brother's idol. Gavroche loved the guy, which led to Eponine's acquaintance with him.

"He's invited me to hang out with him and some of his friends at a café tonight, so I won't be able to study. But hey, you could come hang out at the café too!" he suggested. Her stomach dropped. She had been looking forward to that since the minute she left Marius' house the previous night, but she managed to nod and smile. She knew full well she'd try to go to that café for him. As much as she feared being judged by Courfeyrac's friends.

"Maybe," she forced out. He grinned widely, before checking the time.

"Sorry, Ep, gotta go!" he waved and jogged off. She really hated him calling her 'Ep', but she wouldn't dare to call him out on it. It was a term of affection, and although she loved whenever Marius expressed affection toward her, she couldn't help but feel delightfully friendzoned everytime he said it.

"Enjolras!" a blonde boy in a red jacket was greeted by a dark haired friend. Enjolras, like all his friends, went by his last name. No-one questioned it. The one who greeted him, who was walking towards him was called Grantaire. He had dark rings under his eyes, telling tales of late nights where he would stay up partying. Enjolras and Grantaire had an odd relationship. Enjolras often held Grantaire and his ways in disdain Grantaire hardly ever showed up for school, and was nearly always hung over. He showed no interest in schoolwork, and it seemed he had no passion for anything. Enjolras didn't particularly like Grantaire, but he tolerated him.

"Grantaire," Enjolras replied. Enjolras was never openly kind to Grantaire. But when Grantaire was drunk after a night partying and too intoxicated to return to his parents, it was Enjolras' door he knocked on.

"You're coming to the café after school, right?" Enjolras asked Grantaire. He wasn't sure why Grantaire even attended the Musain with the rest of them. The Musain didn't serve alcohol, and all the boys did there was discuss how they themselves could improve the world, a cause Grantaire didn't believe in. But still the drunk insisted on coming, and Enjolras could hardly stop him. Grantaire simply nodded as another dark haired boy approached them.

"Hey Courf," Grantaire greeted him. Courfeyrac gave him a smile, then turned to Enjolras.

"'Jolras, I've invited that guy… Marius to the Musain tonight. That okay?" he fell into step with the two boys as they walked to class. Enjolras nodded.

"The more the merrier. Can't say I know him, though," he replied.

"You will. He's great. Anyway, I've got to run!" Courfeyrac dashed off in the opposite direction.

"Still chasing skirt, Courf?" Grantaire called after him, teasing. Courfeyrac was notorious for him flirtatious way with the ladies, always chasing a different affection every week. If only he knew what Grantaire knew.

"He hasn't a clue," Grantaire muttered under his breath to Enjolras, who didn't hear him.

Eponine waited by Marius' locker, like she did everyday. It was finally the end of the day, which meant she would walk Marius home, letting him think she lived in that direction before doubling back and actually going home. Her walks with Marius in the afternoon were one of her favourite things on the planet. Her phone buzzed at her side. She quickly checked it and her heart leapt when she saw Marius' name flash on the screen. Unfortunately, it was a text telling her he wouldn't be able to walk home with her. She felt her stomach drop. She turned away from his locker numbly and held back a tear. She carried the red umbrella in her hand awkwardly; it had stopped raining at that point. She would have to find the boy and return the umbrella, but she didn't feel like doing that right then.

That evening, Enjolras turned to Courfeyrac.

"I thought you said this Marius was coming?" he said, stirring a coffee. Enjolras was the only one who drank coffee at the Musain in the evenings, purely because he hardly slept. The rest had enough common sense to just order something to eat because otherwise they would be up all night; although that was Enjolras' goal. He currently had a book out on the desk, and was doing homework, or revising. He always was.

They were all seated at their usual table in the corner of the small café. They all liked the Musain for several reasons (except Bahorel, who didn't really have a preference when it came to coffee places), some of which was basically "Because it's not Starbucks,"; which was Grantaire, Combeferre and Enjolras' main interest in the place. Enjolras also believed in supported the local sole trader.

"He is. I guess he's just late," Courfeyrac replied smoothly, as he stole some of Jehan's cake. Jehan, or Jean Prouvaire as his was really called, was an interesting character. He had long blonde hair, so long it was wound into a plait. He had been teased about it when he had first joined the school, but Enjolras – who leapt at any opportunity to help one who was injusticed – and Courfeyrac – who just hated to see the sunshiney boy sad – befriended him. It was hard to dislike Jehan. He was the only one in the group who had a nickname. He had several what were percieved as 'girly' traits and hobbies. He loved flowers, and writing poetry. But no-one bothered him for it. If the boys cared about style, which they didn't really, they would have noticed Jehan's awful dress sense. He dressed like someone from the past decade.

And Marius was late. He came through the doors of the Musain minutes later.

"Sorry, guys," he said, pulling up a chair. Enjolras glared at him, and returned his attention to his book. Courfeyrac noticed this, and made an apologetic look at Marius. He took out a newspaper and turned it to face Marius. He finished his piece of cake and patted Jehan's hand as a thank you (causing the boy to blush profusely, although he seemed to do that all the time anyway).

"So here's what's going on…" he led, and then informed Marius, in about two hours, of every single social injustice that had been done to people within the last month. Or, he had started it, knowing Enjolras would join in. And he did.

"'Ponine?" a voice came at Eponine's door. It was her sister, Azelma. The pair were home alone. Their mother was out looking for their brother, Gavroche, something she had taken to doing, although she hadn't cared for 'Vroche when he had been at home. Their father was down at the pub, most likely getting drunk to an extent where the girls would lock themselves in their rooms and wait 'til morning.

"Yeah, 'Zelma?" she called out. Azelma entered the room timidly. You could see that she was Eponine's sister, that much was certain, but Azelma was the less prettier one of the two. She often, not to Eponine's knowledge, of course, tucked her hair up in a newsies cap, like Eponine always did when they were at home. To get the hair off the back of her neck, that was what Eponine always said. Azelma liked to imagine she looked just like Eponine when she did it. Although the hair peeking out of the hat was a different shade of brown, and the face that wore the hat looked more like the father than the mother, it made her smile.

Azelma was clutching a tattered copy of _To Kill A Mockingbird._ When Eponine layed eyes on it, she knew what Azelma was going to ask, but she let her ask it anyway.

"Can I read in here?" she asked gingerly. When the house was empty, and the small walls around them felt much bigger, Azelma and Eponine liked to read in the same room.

Eponine looked up at her little sister and nodded. She couldn't stop herself from smiling at her little sister reading her favourite book. Eponine loved _To Kill A Mockingbird_; she couldn't count how many times she had read it. Eponine herself was reading, or trying to read _Lord Of The Rings._ It had an amazing reputation, but she was not get into it. Her mind kept drifting off to where she could be that evening. With Marius, at the café, with Courfeyrac's gang. She didn't even care that the pair of them wouldn't be alone, but she found herself wishing for Marius. She exhaled loudly.

Azelma knew what the sigh had been about. Azelma knew her sister well, and she had caught enough fleeting glances and dreamy looks to know about a boy. Azelma didn't know who the boy was, of course, but did it matter? She knew how to get her sister out of the lovesick slump, even if it meant she would have to put her book down.

"Actually, 'Ponine, do you want to get a hot chocolate?"

Nearly everyone had long gone home, and Enjolras was still sitting in the café. He had done his schoolwork and study, and was now pouring over a personal favourite of his. _The Social Contract_, by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It was an old book, with complicated vocabulary, but worth the read. He had a red pen in hand, taking little notes in the margin of the book. He didn't look up when two girls entered the café, whispering to each other. He did notice, however, when one of them spilled hot chocolate all over him and his book.

He jumped back in shock, the scalding liquid stinging like a bitch. He glared at the short girl who spilled the drink on him with icy eyes.

"'Zelma!" one of the girls said (but not the one who spilled hot chocolate on him, she was frozen to the spot). The girl had already grabbed napkins and was trying to dry out his book, whereas the other girl (the one who had spilled hot chocolate on him) stood back, frozen to the spot.

"S-so s-sorry," the smaller girl said, rooted into place. He looked at her a little bitterly, although who wouldn't. The first girl finally looked up from drying his book.

"I apologize on my sister's behalf, _monsieur._" she apologized, turning to give her sister evil eyes. Enjolras once again composed himself.

"It's fine," he spoke through gritted teeth. Did he recognize this girl from somewhere? It must have been his imagination, because she didn't bat an eyelash at him.

"Are you sure we can't get you a new book or something?" the younger girl piped up meekly. The older one winced internally at the suggestion, something Enjolras normally wouldn't have picked up on.

"No, no really. Just go," he finished a little sourly, but with the best intentions. Both girls looked at him apologetically again, before taking the hint and dashing out the door. Enjolras hadn't noticed Courfeyrac come out of the bathroom until he spoke. Courfeyrac didn't usually stay this late, but he had homework to do, which he knew he wouldn't get done at home.

"What was that about?" he asked, laughing softly. Enjolras turned at stared at his friend.

"She spilled hot chocolate on my book," he informed his friend, before passing him on his own way to the bathroom.

"She was hot. Both of them were," Courfeyrac mused. Enjolras shrugged; he hadn't noticed.

"Oh my god, 'Zelma!" Eponine giggled, mortified, as she handed her hot chocolate to her sister. Since Azelma had spilled her own, she decided her sister should have hers (Eponine was more of a black coffee person anyway). They were walking home in the dark now. Azelma hung her head shamefully.

"I know," she sighed, gladly taking the beverage from Eponine. She looked over at her sister and the two of them started to laugh hysterically. They laughed so much they both had to stop walking to finish it. Their equally booming laughs drew attention to themselves, surely, but neither of them really cared. Until a voice called from the shadows.

"Surely two girls like yourselves shouldn't be out at this hour," a shadowy figure emerged from a dark alley, a tall, lean figure. Eponine sucked in air quickly, her shoulders tensing. Azelma, too, tensed, her back straightening. Both of their eyes were trained on the man walking towards them.

"Montparnasse," Eponine said coldly. The lean shadow smiled wickedly at her, holding his arms out.

"What, no hug for your ex, Eppie?" he asked, faking injury. She bristled at the nickname, which she had always hated.

"Go home 'Parnasse," Eponine told him, crossing her arms.

"It should really I who should be saying that to you, Eppie," he retorted. "Your father will be concerned,"

"You would know," Azelma said furiously. Montparnasse laughed cruelly at that. Eponine put a hand around Azelma's shoulders, and started to steer her home.

"Let's go home, 'Zelma," she said quietly but finally. She didn't need to look back to know Montparnasse hadn't left his spot. He left a bitter taste in her mouth.

The rain the following day wasn't nearly as bad as it had been the morning before. Eponine had been prepared for it, so she left home in her newsies cap, which she rarely ever wore outside, in fear of being judged. But the rain had soaked her hair the day before, so the hat she wore.

She had decided she wasn't going to wait for Marius that day. He had forgotten her the day before, so he had to pay, even though she would have been content in forgiving him. But she wasn't that bad, she could perservere. She could walk to school without him, she could.

She arrived at the school gates, satisfied with herself. Marius probably felt guilty about forgetting her, so he probably waited for her, just to find she hadn't waited for him. This gave her a weird sense of glee, which was immediately stopped when she saw Marius already at school. He had forgotten her, again. He was walking next to someone she thought she recognised, but she couldn't place where from. Marius' companion had blondee curls and a red jacket. Marius' companion looked positively bored with Marius, but Marius continued to speak animatedly to him.

Enjolras decidedly was sick of Courfeyrac's friend Marius. Courfeyrac was one of Enjolras' best friend, but it turned out he did not have the best taste in people to introduce to Enjolras. Marius was currently babbling away about some girl he had seen on the way home from the Musain the previous evening. Why he decided Enjolras was the best person to tell, he didn't know. He tried every attempt at halting the conversation, but Marius could not take a hint.

"She was like an angel!" Marius said dreamily. Something in the distance seemed to catch Marius' eye, and his tone changed.

"Eponine!" he called out. Enjolras glanced sideways at the lovestruck boy, and followed his eyes. Marius was waving at a tattered girl at the gates of the school. The girl wore a newsies cap, and had long dark hair. He knew her from somewhere, but he couldn't place it.

"Forgive me, Enjolras, but I have to talk to my friend," Marius told him, before dashing off to talk to the girl in the hat. Enjolras was relieved to see him run off. He continued on his way into the school building, deciding that if he arrived for class a little earlier, he could study for his upcoming test.

When he arrived in his classroom, to sit at his usual seat, he was greeted by his friend, Combeferre. He smiled slightly; he could always trust 'Ferre to care about schoolwork almost as much as he did.

"Enjolras," Combeferre greeted him quietly, before returning to his book. Enjolras nodded curtly, before sitting next to him.

"Oh Ep, I think I'm in love!" Marius swooned, walking beside Eponine. She smiled, almost bitterly. Marius, _her_ Marius had found another girl, when she had always been there. She could hardly hear him speaking over the sound of her heart dropping to her gut.

"Do you know her name?" she joked, her voice hoarse. Marius seemingly didn't hear her, he was far away.

"I have to go to class, Marius," she said sadly, hating to leave him, even though he clearly didn't need her there. She really did have to go to class though, she had just been bumped up to a higher History class, and did not want to disappoint her teacher on her first day.

She arrived to History before her teacher, gladly. The classroom was almost full, and no-one took notice of her as she slipped into a seat towards the back.

When the teacher entered the classroom, Eponine liked him immediately. He walked with a softness and swiftness to his step, and his eye caught her immediately, like he had been looking for a new face.

"Ladies and gentlemen, _mademoiselles et monsieurs,_ I would like to welcome a new student to our class today. Say hello to Miss Eponine Thenardier!" he swept an arm in her direction, and she cast her eyes down. The last thing she wanted was for attention to be brought to her. Yet, all the eyes of the class were on her, so she waved meekly. This was the gesture for the teacher to speak again.

"Miss Thenardier, you may know me as _Monsieur_ Madeleine. Now, to history!" he turned to face the rest of the class again, and proceeded to encapture them all in the past. When the fifty minutes were over, Eponine couldn't believe it; it felt more like five minutes. As she walked out of the classroom, she couldn't help but feel like was an inspiration. She would have to tell Marius – if he actually cared. Caught in her thoughts, she absentmindedly bumped into someone.

"Watch out!" muttered the boy she bumped into, as he stooped down to pick up the books she had knocked out of his hands. It was Marius' companion from that morning!

"My apologies," she replied, and then felt a strange sense of _déjà vu. _She had no more time to think on it, as she was being hurried out of the classroom by a surge of fellow students.

Enjolras cursed as he stood up from picking his books. He rose to look Combeferre in the eyes.

"Alright, _mon ami_?" he asked, slightly concerned. Enjolras waved his worries away.

"I'm fine, 'Ferre," he cracked a smile at his friend. "I've been feeling like Bossuet recently, that's all,"

He was referring to how he had been knocked into and the like recently, events which more often happened to their friend Bossuet, who was infamously known for his bad luck and clumsyness. And his shiny head, of course.

"Let's find Courf before Chemistry, shall we?" Combeferre suggested, pushing his glasses further up his nose as they walked. But no sooner than they began looking for the curly-haired center did he appear by their side.

"Musain again tonight, _mes amis?_" he asked, throwing an arm around Combeferre's shoulder.

"Where else?" Combeferre joked.

"Will you be bringing Marius again?" Enjolras asked, almost distastefully. This prompted confused looked from Courfeyrac and Combeferre.

"I imagine so, why, does he bother you?" Courfeyrac stated. Enjolras shrugged.

"Sort of? He just bothered my with impertinant girl talk this morning," he explained. Courfeyrac laughed, sympathising immediately with Marius.

"He just chose the wrong person to talk to, 'Jolras, he's fine normally," Courfeyrac defended his new friend.

"As long as he isn't late this time," Enjolras finalised. Courfeyrac accepted that was all he was going to get from the marble man.

"You have to come tonight, Ep! Maybe I'll see her again!" Marius pleaded with her. She had gone to him to enthuse about her new teacher, but he had somehow turned the conversation around to talk about another meeting at that café.

"You know I have to babysit 'Zelma, Marius," she argued, but really she was just looking for another reason to make him beg.

"Azelma is old enough to look after herself, Ep! Please! I think you'll get along with Courfeyrac's crowd, they're all nearly as headstrong as you are!" he tried to reason. "Do I have to get down on my knees? Because I will!"

She laughed, and finally agreed to it. She sighed as his eyes lit up upon hearing her, as his cheeks dimpled. She had it bad. But that night, maybe they wouldn't see that mysterious girl from the night before, and maybe Marius would forget about her. Maybe he would finally see her. That's what she told herself everytime he asked her to do something. Maybe he would finally see her.

But in the end, it wasn't Marius who saw her.


	2. in which eponine is a shadow

**A/N: Here's another chapter! Thanks for following and reviews guys :) I forgot to say it last time, but this is mostly based on the movie/musical, and little things i've picked up from other fanfics etc. So, uh, review, if you want?**

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"You're going out?" Azelma asked, totally gobsmacked. She was chasing Eponine around the house, as the elder of the two tried to piece together a semi-presentable outfit. They were virtually alone; Madame Thenardier was snoozing in her room.  
"Yes, out. To socialize. I'm allowed do that, aren't I?" Eponine replied hastily, in a hushed voice so not to wake up their mother. She stepped past Azelma, almost on her foot, and swiped the family copy of To Kill a Mockingbird from the table. Her sister permitted her to slip it into her grubby handbag, if a little begrudgingly.  
"Call it a security blanket, if I get bored or just…" she explained, trailing off. Azelma knew well what she implied. Forgotten. Eponine pulled on a dusty brown scarf, and kissed her sister on the forehead.  
"Be home before Papa, okay?" Azelma called out after her sister. Eponine smiled to assure her she would; it wasn't like she intended to be out until the early hours of the morning or anything.  
The rain pattered softly on the red umbrella Eponine carried. It was the blonde boy's umbrella, but it kept her sheltered from the rain.  
She had agreed to meet Marius in the park, and surely, there he was, sitting on a bench. She approached slowly, taking in the sight of him, the sight of his hair slightly dampened by the rain, of the way he slouched when he sat. He soon saw her. He grinned and rose to greet her.  
"Thought you weren't going to come for a minute," he laughed, and fell into step beside her, and they began to walk through the park.  
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied, looking down.  
"The Musain is this way," he pointed in the general direction ahead of them. "Come on, we're going to be late!"

"He's late again, Courfeyrac," Enjolras told his friend, irritated. They were all seated at their regular table in the corner, and they all had a coffee, as it was earlier in the evening. Jehan and Courfeyrac were sharing a cake this time; Jehan made Courfeyrac pay half since he ate half anyway. Courfeyrac waved away his blonde friend's concerns.  
"You're just bitter Marius chose you to babble his girl gossip to, that's all," Courfeyrac teased. Enjolras couldn't deny it, so he returned to his ever-present textbook. Enjolras truly was not the one to discuss girls with. The average girl was reduced to ice in his freezing glare, shaking at the knees and stuttering at the mouth. It wasn't that he hated girls, so to speak, but they seemed pointless to him, and he often scolded his friends for involving themselves with them.  
"We'll have to talk to Marius about that, so he doesn't persist to bother you, Chief," Bossuet boomed, throwing his head back in laughter at his own joke. Enjolras rolled his eyes at the bald-headed comedian, but soon enough Bossuet had nearly everyone joining in his laughter.  
When Marius finally arrived in the café, the noise of good spirit echoed off the walls. All the boys' eyes rose to meet him, but their gaze shifted to the girl who trailed behind him like a shadow.  
"Marius!" Courfeyrac grinned. "Who's your friend?"  
Marius turned to Eponine, who kept her eyes on the ground. This had been a bad idea…  
"Everyone, this is my friend Eponine, who I've managed to persuade to join us this evening. Eponine, this is Courfeyrac, Combeferre, Joly, Feuilly, Bahorel, Jehan, Bossuet and lastly, Enjolras," Marius introduced her. Eponine recognized Courfeyrac, of course, but he showed no sign of recognizing her. Everyone else was a blur of new faces, except for the blonde, Enjolras, but he showed no interest in her presence, so she ignored him.  
"And back at that table's Grantaire. He's currently intoxicated, so we refuse, or at least, Enjolras refuses to let him sit with us," Courfeyrac swept a hand in the direction of a dark figure who was slumped over a table a meter or so away. Marius pulled a chair into the table, which was only made possible by lots of shuffling around table they were already sitting at.  
"Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there's much room for you at the table," came a regretful voice from one of the boys Eponine didn't know. Bahorel, or was it Joly? It may have been Combeferre… Either way, the boy had a plait, which came around his shoulder in an effeminate fashion. Curious.  
"That's quite alright, erm, I'll just sit back here, with the drunk," Eponine sat in across from the slumped Grantaire.  
"Alright then," another guy spoke, this one with a bald head. What interesting hairdos these guys had.  
"Is it or is it not true that you chose to bore our fearless leader with tales of an angel?" the bald said, who was called, as we have learned, Bossuet. Marius blushed.  
"Didn't know I bored you, Enjolras," Marius said apologetically. Enjolras seemingly didn't hear him, but didn't seem too bothered.  
"Is it true, Marius? Is there a girl?" Courfeyrac prompted. Marius looked flustered, but eager to speak.  
"Come on, Pontmercy, tell us! You owe me that much," Bossuet prodded. This led to some confused looks in Bossuet's direction.  
"You see, Monsieur Pontmercy here is in my Algebra class, and he was late," Bossuet led. Marius picked up from there.  
"I arrived along to class, and the new teacher, is glaring at me. He asks me my name, by which point Bossuet calls out 'His name is Bossuet! Bossuet Lesgle!'" This prompted further confusion in the group. Both boys were becoming invested in the story.  
"You see, gentlemen, Monsieur Marius had already been late to class twice this month. Blondeau wouldn't know this, on account of him being new, but I couldn't have Marius getting into further trouble, so when they called his name, I simply called 'Present!'. Now you see, I could then not say present when my name was called, so I was marked late. But no matter! The importance here is that Marius owes me. So, Marius, did you see a girl yesterday or not?"  
A noise came from Enjolras that was inelegant enough to resemble a snort, but the group ignored him as Marius began to recount the evening before and the so-called 'angel' he encountered. Enjolras tried to lose himself in his textbook, but couldn't seem to do so. Upon reading the same paragraph four times without absorbing anything, he gave up and tore his eyes away from the page. This was the first time he took notice of the girl who followed Marius into the café, whom we know as Eponine. He recognised her as the same girl from that morning, who had taken the burden of Marius away from him, unbeknownst to the female, of course.  
The small brunette had a tattered novel in her hand, at such an angle Enjolras couldn't read the title, but her eyes weren't on the book, but on Marius, as he gestured and told the story of his beauty of the night before. She occupied her seat like a gentle shadow, hardly touching the area in which she was.  
Enjolras tore his eyes away from the petite girl, and brought his attention back to Marius, who seemed to be drawing to the close of his story.  
"But just as I went closer to her, she disappeared, like a ghost!" the freckly boy finished. The others' faces sympathized with him, but the attention was soon returned to Enjolras.  
"So chief, now all Les Amis are here, do we get into the serious stuff?" Combeferre faced his blonde friend. Enjolras took the change in conversation in his stride and began discussing ways they could help the problems that had arisen.  
Eponine's interest in the group of boys in the corner soon deflated once Marius finished talking. She tried to listen to this Enjolras, with his piercing blue eyes and big words, but soon deceased in attempt. She returned her eyes to the adventures of Scout and Jem, occasionally hearing words such as 'protest' 'the people' and 'rise' from her fellow students. She didn't notice the drunk across from her stirring until he spoke.  
"Do I know you?" Grantaire muttered. His voice startled Eponine, who had been so lost in her book she hadn't heard him. He was bleary-eyed; Eponine hadn't believed he was actually asleep on the table, but he clearly was.  
"Um, no. I'm Eponine," she introduced herself. He nodded, and she wasn't sure if he was actually listening.  
"Call me R," he mumbled, rubbing his head. He winced, and didn't speak again for a bit, so Eponine started to read again.  
"Hangover," he explained after a few minutes. She had to stop herself from laughing.  
"It's just nine p.m.!" she remarked. The dark haired boy across from her shrugged.  
"I've been doing a lot of drinking this evening," he sighed, before lying his head on the table again. She wasn't sure what he was doing until she heard soft snoring coming from him. She giggled to herself and continued to read.  
She stayed in her seat, across from the dozing R for at least another hour, when Marius calling her name brought her out of her cheerful daze.  
"Eponine! I'm leaving, do you want an escort at least half the way home?" he called to her. She nodded, and quickly got out of her chair. She went to grab the red umbrella, but was stopped by that Enjolras.  
"That's my umbrella," he said, almost inaudibly. That's why she recognized him, he had loaned her his umbrella. Apologetically, she left the umbrella on her empty chair, slightly mortified. Book in one hand, she patted the sleeping Grantaire on the head and swiftly followed Marius out of the café, vaguely hearing 'Goodbye Eponine's coming from the boys who remained seated.  
"So, did you have fun?" Marius asked, and she could tell what answer he was dying to hear, which, gladly, was the truth.  
"I did, actually. Grantaire was good company," she smiled up at him. He looked puzzled.  
"He was asleep for most of the evening!" he remarked, causing her to smile somewhat wickedly.  
"Like I said, good company," she repeated herself. Marius was about to say something when he inhaled sharply, and stopped walking. Alarmed, Eponine followed his gaze, when her eyes rested on a blonde figure walking a few blocks away.  
"It's her, Ep! It's my angel!" Marius whispered, as if his breath had been taken away by the clearly flawless creature ahead of them. Eponine tried to get him to move again, but he remained frozen to the spot.  
"Of course it is," Eponine said under her breath.  
"Should I go say something? I should go up to her, but what if she thinks I'm a total creep?" he spun around, away from the girl who continued to walk. He was utterly flustered. Within minutes, the object of Marius' affections had disappeared from sight once again.  
"It's too late now, Monsieur," Eponine informed him. He turned in the direction in which they had seen her, and a look of dismay washed over his face.  
"Oh my god, I can't believe it! It can't be a coincidence, seeing her two nights in a row," he mused, walking briskly. Eponine had nothing to say, so she just listened to him, her own heart roaring in her ears. It would be just her luck to spot the girl again. She nearly didn't hear Marius saying her name.  
"Ep, oh you have to find her for me! I know you know Paris better than anyone! If anyone were to find her, it would be you! Please, Ep, for me!" he pleaded. She had to stop herself from chuckling, it was the second time that day he had begged her for something. She was much less willing to agree this time, though.  
"Surely not tonight, Monsieur," she stalled, slowing her pace. Marius slowed his pace to match hers, and took her wrist.  
"If not tonight, tomorrow! Please, Eponine, I'm begging you!" he dropped onto his knees and looked up at her with puppy eyes. She squirmed under his gaze; he had no idea what those eyes did to her.  
"You don't have to beg," she sighed, pulling him to his feet. He smiled excitedly, and began to speed up again, with a skip to his step.  
When Eponine arrived home, her sister was waiting eagerly in her room. The younger brunette was curled up on Eponine's bed, reading a non-descript novel. Her eyes lit up upon seeing Eponine enter.  
"If you had been any later, Papa would have caught you, or worse… 'Parnasse," Azelma shuddered. Eponine widened her eyes in agreement at Montparnasse's name, and pulled off her jacket.  
"Did you have any fun?" the smaller Thenardier asked. Eponine rolled her eyes at her sister's enthusiasm.  
"Are you sure I'm the older sister here?" she teased. "Yes, I had fun. Is Mama still asleep?"  
Azelma nodded, and then the appearance of a deer caught in the headlights overtook her face as she heard an all-too-familiar voice stumble through the front door.  
"Wife! E-eponine! Az-zelma! I'm home! Fetch me something to eat!" called from the hall. Eponine gestured for her sister to lock the bedroom door, and she herself turned off the light. If the old man thought they were asleep, no harm could come to them. That much they had learned in the years since they evicted into the tiny flat. But even the appearance of slumber didn't block out sounds of their parents arguing. The two Thenardier daughters didn't get that much sleep that night, but at least they were unharmed.

It was well into the early hours of the morning when Enjolras stumbled home with a weary Grantaire's arm around his shoulders. Combeferre assisted Enjolras in carrying the drunk.  
"'Ferre, do you want to sleep here? I know your house isn't particularly close," Enjolras whispered as he lay Grantaire down on an old green couch. Enjolras' parents had become accustomed to finding the boy sleeping on their couch, even if they didn't approve. But they were both gone to work by the time Enjolras needed to be awake, so he didn't concern himself with their opinions. Combeferre kindly refused his friend's offer, saying he had some school books at home he had to bring in the following day, and shut the front door behind him. Enjolras, having made sure Grantaire was nowhere near waking up, hurried upstairs and collapsed into bed. He tried to wake himself up again; he still had some studying to do, but to no avail. He still had his red jacket and shoes on when he fell asleep.  
After what seemed like only minutes, Enjolras' alarm woke him. He groaned and reached to turn it off, but only managed to roll out of bed and onto the floor. He groaned again and he sat up, rubbing his head. What a wonderful start to the new day.  
He had almost forgotten Grantaire was sleeping on his couch when he was reminded of the drunk's presence by a very loud grunt. Apparently, Enjolras had woken the drunk with the coffee grinder – a valid complaint, but Enjolras didn't like Grantaire so he could –  
"Suck it up, Grantaire," Enjolras called out to him, which was met with a fairly profane reply.  
"Suck my dick Enjolras!" he called from the couch. Enjolras had to contain a laugh. He had changed out of the clothes he had fallen asleep in and was now wearing a red hoodie.  
"I mightn't even go to school," Grantaire mused loudly. Enjolras actually did laugh at that. He then proceeded to go to the sink, fill a glass with water and pour the contents on his companion's head.  
"Wakey wakey," he muttered slightly evilly, before grabbing his schoolbag (and umbrella, that had been absent from him, in case it might rain again) and heading out the door. He heard swearing coming at him once he closed the door, but really didn't care.  
On his way to school, he made a mental list of everything he had to do that day, and the list seemed to be never ending. He had a while before school started, so he took a detour through the park on his way in, simply because he could.

Eponine could not face waiting for Marius. Not today. There was a huge chance he wouldn't even wait for her, so why should she try? She had left early that morning, so she wouldn't be subject to her father's hangover. She prayed Azelma would have the sense to do the same. She had to walk through the park to get to school; as was her route everyday. It started to rain (she cursed to herself), but the trees gave nice shelter. It was once she got out of the park was the problem. She neared the park gates, and immediately saw a fix to her problem. Ahead of her was Enjolras – the blonde with the big words, carrying a red umbrella. That's where she had recognized him from, he had given her his umbrella. Although she didn't know him too well, she was willing to risk a little embarrassment and awkwardness in order to remain dry.  
"Enjolras!" she called, jogging to catch up with the blonde. He was in a red hoodie – did the guy ever not have anything red on? He turned around to see where the voice calling him came from, and looked more than puzzled to see her running towards him.  
"You're Courfeyrac's friend. I'm Eponine, I was at the Musain last night," she told him, trying to jog his memory. She watched as gears clicked in his head, and saw him remember him.  
"Right, you're Marius' shad- friend. Can I help you?" he asked, in a tone that may or may not have been ruder than he had originally intended, but she brushed it off.  
"Can I share your umbrella?" she asked, pointedly. He looked (and most likely was) a little taken aback by that, but held out the umbrella to her, not saying anything. She nodded, taking it in one hand, pulling it slightly at an angle over her head. They continued to walk in silence, occasionally wrestling for the umbrella.  
"I'm not as short as you are," he mumbled, trying to pull it up slightly. She kept her grip in a stony lock, refusing to let it move, so he was stuck crouching for the rest of the walk. In the end, he gave up, and walked beside the umbrella, causing him to get soaked in the rain, but he still walked beside her.  
He almost said something a few times, but decided against it. He didn't have a particular desire to talk to her, apart from what he felt was social convention. She clearly didn't have a particular desire to talk to him, or she would have said something. So they arrived at school, after only having said a few words to each other.  
"Thanks," she almost forgot to say as he closed the umbrella.  
"Anytime," he replied, automatically, but then wished he hadn't said that, he didn't mean it after all. It would have been rude to go back on it, so he shut up until she darted off to wherever she needed to be. The umbrella was sweaty where she had gripped it.  
"Miss Thenardier!" a croaky voice called to Eponine as she opened her locker. She looked up to see the source of the voice, and was more than a little shocked to see the school principal, Monsieur Javert standing in front of her. She tried her hardest not to get in trouble in school, and was admittedly surprised the principal even knew her name.  
"Y-yes, monsieur?" she answered, adjusting her posture.  
"I need you to help a new student," Javert told her, commandingly.  
"M-me, monsieur?" she stuttered. What had she done to deserve this punishme- opportunity? In her head she rattled off anything that could have possibly caused the principal to decide she was a good candidate to assist a new student, but came up blank.  
"Yes you, girl. It's about time you contributed to this school!" he instructed her. This took her slightly aback. Yes, she didn't exactly help out at school or anything, but she attended all her classes. The statement was a little unprecedented, in her opinion.  
"This is Cosette Fauchelevant," he gestured to a blonde girl who seemed to materialize beside him. Eponine blinked, was that who she thought it was?  
"I have assigned you to supervise Miss Fauchelevant and show her the ropes here. I'm sure you'd be more than happy to oblige," Javert smiled, almost evilly. Then he was gone, almost as soon as Cosette had arrived.  
"Hi," Cosette said softly. Eponine nodded an acknowledgement. She would have been kinder, but gears were busy clicking in her head, piecing together the puzzle that was the gentle girl standing in front of her.  
One thing was certain, Cosette was Marius' girl from the night before. The realization of this caused Eponine's heart to tear in two. Eponine recognized the flowing blonde hair, and the way Cosette stood resembled the perfect posture of the girl the previous evening.  
But Eponine remembered Cosette from somewhere else too. Cosette had lived with her family when they were young, back when they had money. Cosette, left by her mother in Eponine's parents' care, was treated poorly by all of the Thenardiers, until she was whisked away from them by a man in a hat. What a coincidence that she should reappear in Eponine's life once more. And that she should be the object of Marius' affections; that was too rich. Eponine wondered if karma had something to do with that situation.  
"Let me see your timetable," Eponine said to the pretty blonde, snapping herself out of her confusion. Cosette fumbled around in her bag, and produced a sheet of paper. She handed the paper to Eponine, who scanned the page.  
"You've got history with me. That's next class. The teacher, , is really cool," she told her. Cosette giggled slightly.  
"He's my stepdad," Cosette informed her.  
"Stepdad?" Eponine raised an eyebrow, asking the first of a few questions that sprung to mind.  
"I'm adopted," Cosette explained, taking the timetable back from Eponine.  
"But your surname's Fauchelevant, not Madeleine…" Eponine's second question came. Cosette bit her lip.  
"I don't know, my stepdad's a little weird," the blonde shrugged, and Eponine looked jealously at how her blonde curls cascaded down her back as she did so.  
"And you're new, how is your dad a teacher here?" Eponine asked her final question, leading the way to history.  
"I went to a boarding school down south, but last week Dad decided it would be a good idea for me to come up here. He missed me, he said," Cosette laughed softly, walking quickly to keep up with Eponine's pace. Eponine nodded, and didn't speak until they arrived in class.  
The class was fairly empty; the two girls were early. Eponine recognized Enjolras sitting at the front. She hadn't known he was in her class. His head was bent over a history textbook, preventing her from greeting him, but one of the boys from the Musain the previous night sat next to him. He nodded at her in acknowledgement, which she mirrored. He raised an eyebrow at Cosette, but she missed it. She and Cosette took seats towards the back, together, to Eponine's discomfort. Did Cosette recognize her? If she did, she showed no sign of it.  
breezed into the room about ten minutes later, after the classroom had become further populated. His eyes landed on Cosette for a second, but didn't stay on her for long. To Eponine's surprise, he didn't introduce Cosette to the class in the way he had introduced her. Maybe he didn't want to embarrass his daughter in the same way he had her the day before.  
proceeded to immerse them in history as he had the day before, and, just like the day before, it was over in what felt like minutes.  
Eponine rose from her chair, and tried her hardest to disappear out the door before Cosette could catch up with her, but she had no luck. Within seconds, the little angel was beside her again.  
"Um, I have Algebra with M. Blondeau next, do you know where that is?" Cosette asked, consulting her timetable. Eponine shrugged apologetically. She did, however, know someone who was in his class, but she kept her mouth shut on that subject.  
"Can't say I do. I'm sure it's not that hard to find," she said, before Cosette sighed and went off to find it herself. Eponine was glad for the peace. She continued on her way to class, when she heard a voice she wasn't quite sure she recognized.  
"Eponine!" she turned around and saw Grantaire walking towards her. The dark-haired boy was a sight. He had dark rings under his eyes, his hair a bed-swept mess and just a grumpy disposition.  
"R," she greeted him, a little surprised he remembered her name. She waited for him to catch up to her, and then they started to walk. Grantaire slung his arm around her shoulders, a gesture she wasn't familiar with.  
"Are you coming to the Musain again tonight?" he asked her. She hadn't really thought about it, because she hadn't really interacted the night before.  
"Because I think I might be able to tolerate you, so I would appreciate your attendance," he explained. She laughed a little at that. It was weird to consider that someone other than Marius or Azelma might enjoy her company, even if that someone might not be awake for that company.  
"For you," she told him, causing him to pump his fist in victory.  
"I guess you'll be coming with Marius, then? See you then!" he took his arm from around her shoulders and jogged back where he had come from. She was left a little stunned, but made her way to class.  
At the end of the day, she waited by Marius' locker, and was soon greeted by the smiling boy.  
"Eponine! You won't believe what happened to me today!" he said excitedly. She raised her eyebrow, prompting him to continue.  
"I saw her! I saw my angel from last night! She was in my Algebra class, Ep! Ep, her name is Cosette, isn't that just the prettiest name you ever heard? Isn't it fate?" he told her dreamily as he put his books away.  
"So you talked to her?" Eponine asked teasingly, trying to hide any pain in her voice. So he had met Cosette. It was bound to happen, she told herself. He was hardly yours in the first place. She looked up at Marius' eyes to try and distract herself, but it didn't work.  
"Well, not exactly," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I will tomorrow though, I swear!"  
He closed his locker, and led the way out of the school. It wasn't raining anymore, gladly, because neither of them had an umbrella, and Eponine couldn't exactly ask Enjolras for his.  
"I'm going to the Musain again tonight," he stated. "Do you want to come?"  
She didn't tell him that she had told Grantaire she would, because what kind of questions would that cause? But she did tell him she would go.  
They walked back to Marius', discussing the day's events, and when Marius took a left into his house, Eponine waved him goodbye. She waited until he had closed the door behind him before doubling back, to walk the actual way home. Marius lived with his rich grandfather, a lifestyle Eponine envied.

Enjolras was seated next to Combeferre in a dusty classroom. The two boys had been made stay after school for detention because Enjolras had given out to a teacher. The teacher was one Enjolras disliked, in a class he felt pointless. The teacher had, unprovoked, made fun of a student who hadn't done well in a test. Enjolras had stood up for the kid, and when the teacher sent Enjolras to Javert's office, Combeferre had defended Enjolras. Usually Combeferre didn't get involved in that sort of thing, but Enjolras was his best friend.  
They watched as the clock ticked, finally landing on five o'clock, signifying their freedom. They both clambered out of their seats and all but ran out of the school.  
"Let's not do that again," Combeferre suggested, as they made their way to the Musain, without even agreeing on it. Enjolras was always at the Musain before everyone else, and he didn't have time to go home now. Enjolras nodded in agreement with his friend.  
When they opened the door to the Musain, they were both equally shocked when they saw Grantaire sitting at their usual table in the corner, and he looked totally sober.  
"Grantaire, what are you doing here?" Enjolras asked, dropping his bag on the chair across from him. The café was basically empty, except for them and the barista.  
"I'm meeting a friend here. You remember Eponine, Marius' friend?" Grantaire said, taking a sip from a coffee, further shocking the two boys.  
"Not a date, is it?" Combeferre sat beside Enjolras' bag. Grantaire scoffed at that.  
"Oh please, no. She just seems tolerable," Grantaire told him, as Enjolras went to get a coffee. Combeferre couldn't think of a response, so just joined Enjolras in the line for a coffee.  
"All hell has frozen over," Enjolras muttered to his friend.  
"Perhaps,"


	3. In which marius is tutored

**A/N: So here's the new chapter! I hope you like it, sorry if it's a bit short.** **Also, i regret to inform you that I'll be leaving for the Gaeltacht (it's an irish thing) on thursday for three weeks, which means I won't be able to write or update for that length of time. So you may have to wait like a month for the next update- just warning you! Lastly, please review so i know what you guys think :)**

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Eponine really wished she had a blonde boy with a red umbrella as she ran through pouring rain. Just as she stepped out her door, it seemed the heavens decided to open and soak solely her. She had been told by Marius that he would meet her in the park, but he would hardly wait for her there, would he? She texted him, asking simply 'Are you at the park?' (because she refused to resort to text language). Within seconds he replied, 'No, Musain. Sry!'. She was slightly relieved, because she wouldn't have to wait for him, but also disappointed because he didn't think of waiting for her. She didn't have much time to dwell on this, however, because she really just had to get to the Musain.

She all but burst through the doors of the Musain. The boys' eyes rose to see who was there, and each of them had different reactions. Grantaire gestured to an empty seat he had saved for her. Marius waved, a little apologetically. Enjolras' eyes returned to his book, although it was clear by the scene he was in the middle of a speech. Some of the boys (whom Eponine couldn't name) tried to remember her name, while the others just nodded or said 'Hi'.

She sat down next to Grantaire and pulled out her _To Kill a Mockingbird._ The conversation around her began to buzz, and just as Eponine was getting into the novel, Grantaire spoke to her.

"Is it any good?" he asked, peering over her shoulder. She tore her attention away from the book to stare at him in shock.

"You haven't read it?" she replied, placing the book on her lap. He shook his head.

"I don't read," he admitted. Her jaw dropped, but she found her feelings going from shock to pity.

"You have no idea what you're missing, R," she told him. She spent the entire evening explaining the magic that is reading and fictional universes to Grantaire, who only stopped her to ask if she was kidding when she told him she cried. As some walked away, to finally go home, she and Grantaire remained engrossed in conversation where she proceeded to tell him entire plots of books she had read.

They went on like that until the only ones that remained in the café were them, Enjolras and Marius (who only stayed because he felt bad leaving Eponine walk home alone). Eventually, Eponine checked the time and decided it was way past time for her to leave. She excused herself from the table, and was led by Marius out the door, who was yawning and relieved to go home.

This left Grantaire with Enjolras. Enjolras was leaning on the table, focusing heavily on his book, but had subconsciously been listening to the pair's conversation. _To Kill a Mockingbird_ was a favourite book of Enjolras'. Inequality being braved by one man, an isolationist society on the brink of change – it screamed literary appeal to the young student.

Enjolras decided about a half hour after Eponine and Marius left it was time to go home. He gladly took his red umbrella and walked home, leaving Grantaire alone in the Musain. God knew what he was going to do there; he was surely going to piss off the barista, who had probably been waiting for them to leave the whole evening.

He unlocked the door to his house to a surprising sight; his parents were seated on the couch (that that previous morning had housed a sleeping Grantaire), watching the television. He closed the door quietly behind him, and almost made it to the stairs before he heard his dad calling out to him.

"Where do you think you're going, after being out so late?" the man's voice called after him. Enjolras swore under his breath before turning around. His father had stood up from the couch and was towering over him, but Enjolras didn't fail to stare him in the eye.

"I was studying with some friends," he replied, half telling the truth. Not that the man standing before him deserved any justification. His father clearly didn't believe him, but instead of standing around trying to prove himself to a man he hated, he turned around and walked to his room indignantly. Enjolras' father was an enemy of Enjolras' for many reasons. He was a lawyer, which was a profession Enjolras thought noble, if used correctly. Enjolras' father didn't use his power as a lawyer correctly. He defended corrupt men in law cases against their clearly-wronged wives, something that Enjolras disagreed with on many levels. He, as a man, was corrupt himself. Enjolras had heard him bragging of being rude to homeless people on the street, telling stories of how he kicked them or yelled abuse. He was frequently racist, and made sexist remarks to his wife. Enjolras truly hated the man.

"Goodnight," he almost spat from the top of the stairs.

He walked to school again the following morning. Taking his red umbrella, he wondered silently how it could rain so many days in a row. The rain was a nice sound, landing daintly on his umbrella, a sound he didn't usually take the time to appreciate. He was strolling through the park, as he was in the mood for getting up early and wasn't in a rush to go anywhere, when he heard someone call him.

"Enjolras!" he turned to see Eponine hurrying towards him. This thoroughly surprised him; what chance was there that he would run into the girl two days in a row when he hadn't known her name last week?

"May I, uh…" she gestured to his umbrella. Her hair was drenched and plastered to her face, her soaked clothes hugging her. She was shivering as further rain fell down her face. He held out the umbrella, and the two of them continued to walk huddled underneath it.

"You were talking to Grantaire about _To Kill a Mockingbird_ yesterday," he said, after a few minutes of silence. She laughed slightly, taken back.

"Yeah, it's my favourite book. You were listening?" she answered. He took a few moments to respond.

"It's my favourite, too," he replied. That was all they said until they arrived at the school.

"If the rain continues on like this, you're going to have to buy your own umbrella," he told her, as they entered the school gates. She laughed at that.

"I might just continue to steal yours," she teased. They arrived at the school door, and she hurried inside as he closed the umbrella. He felt a strange sense of foreboding, like this wouldn't be the last time this happened.

"Chief, did you just walk in with Marius' friend?" Enjolras was met a few minutes later by Feuilly. Enjolras admired Feuilly. The orphan had taught himself everything he needed to know, and worked to put himself through school, by making fans. A curious job, but it did the trick.

"Eponine. Yeah, she was soaked and I had an umbrella," Enjolras answered as the two continued to walk into the school. Feuilly, strangely enough, didn't seem that wet.

"I didn't know you knew what a girl was," Feuilly teased. "Much less share an umbrella with one,"

Enjolras looked at his friend with a bemused expression. Just because he didn't have a girlfriend or any particular interest in girls like his friends didn't mean he couldn't know any. Really, he could swear his friends were absolute imbeciles.

"Let's just get to class, Feuilly," Enjolras sighed, walking in a separate direction to his friend.

He took his usual seat in Chemistry next to Bahorel and Joly. Their teacher, _Monsieur_ Mabeuf arrived moments later and started the class. Mabeuf was a favourite teacher of the three boys, mostly because he didn't look down on his students. He was a good teacher, and really engaged the class.

Enjolras was busy taking down notes from the board when Joly passed him a note. '_Musain again, right?'_ the note read. Enjolras raised an eyebrow at his friend; when did they not go to the Musain? And why did they need his confirmation on whether they were going or not?

Courfeyrac asked him the same question later in Geometry class. Enjolras said yes, _obviously._

"I think we should try and engage that Eponine girl," Courfeyrac whispered as they watched the teacher warily. Enjolras looked at him, slightly baffled.

"Engage?" he replied quietly. Courfeyrac nodded, but stopped mid-nod because the teacher was facing them.

"Y'know, talk to her, get her involved in the cause," Courfeyrac explained once the teacher had taken his attention from the two of them. Enjolras shrugged.

"Feel free. You know where I'll be," he whispered dismissively. He didn't catch Courfeyrac's eye-roll.

"Hey, has Jehan been acting weird around you?" Courfeyrac changed the subject as the teacher handed out sheets. Enjolras shook his head.

"Normal as ever. Why?" he replied. Courfeyrac shrugged, taking the sheet from the glaring teacher.

"I don't know, he's just been acting kind of strange around me recently is all," Courfeyrac answered.

"Well unfortunately, my friend, I am not as tuned in to other peoples emotions as some, so I'm afraid I can't help you. Maybe just ask Jehan,"

Enjolras breezed out of school enthusiastically. Finally Friday, which really didn't mean much except being able to spend more time at the Musain. It was still drizzling, but he didn't care enough to put up his umbrella, so it remained in his bag. He just had to swing by his house and get to the Musain. There had been something on the radio that morning he had to check the newspapers for.

Eponine had conflicted feelings about the weekend. On one hand, she spent even more time with Marius, but on the other, she spent more time at home, and therefore with her family. Her family, if you have not already gathered, were a hindrance to Eponine at best. Apart from Azelma, her entire family consisted of lying and cheating rats. Her father, even when they had money, cheated people at every corner, and her mother was openly unfaithful to her husband, who didn't seem to mind as long as she pick-pocketed the men she slept with. Her father's 'friends' scared Eponine to the point where she would climb out her window to escape their drunken leers. She had dated one of them, Montparnasse when she was younger. Montparnasse idolized her father in a sick sense, and he had always been sweet to her, except when he wasn't. He eventually ditched her because she was 'too innocent' for him, something she was relieved of. Other friends of her father's spoke to her with alcohol-tainted words and breath, each disgusting her as much as the last.

When she thought of her family, Eponine was reminded of her little brother, Gavroche. How she missed the little boy. He had run away a few months ago, claiming he wasn't cared about enough, but he would still stay in touch with his older sisters. He never did.

Eponine wiped a tear away from her face as she approached Marius' locker. She slowed immediately when she saw him talking to no-one but Cosette. If her heart hadn't broken enough already, she could practically hear it shatter inside her chest as she watched his looking at Cosette with his blue eyes that had never looked at her that way.

"Marius," she greeted him, eventually. She would not let Cosette win. He was still her best friend and she would have her few moments of joy with him whether or not this blonde angel was there or not.

"Ep! This is Cosette!" Marius grinned, introducing Cosette to Eponine even though the two had already met.

"Oh, I've already met Eponine," Cosette informed him, smiling serenely.

"That's great!" Marius said gleefully. "Ep, I hope you don't mind, but Cosette is joining us on our way home today. She has to meet my grandfather, wouldn't he just love her?"

Eponine nearly gagged in shock. Trust Cosette to take away one of her favourite things to do at the weekend from her. Eponine begrudgingly walked home with Marius and Cosette. Her ears almost bled listening to them get to know each other, and she almost threw up each time one of them mentioned 'fate'.Once she arrived home, she was more than glad to fall on her bed and sob. Azelma walked in on her once, but swiftly turned around and shut the door behind her.

That night, at the Musain, neither Marius nor Eponine showed their faces. Of course, Enjolras didn't notice that until Courfeyrac pointed it out. Enjolras still gave his speech, and they still discussed problems in the world. Courfeyrac just didn't get his wish to include Eponine in the group conversations. What did happen that night was an argument between Enjolras and Combeferre. Arguments of this nature had occurred before, but never to this extent. Enjolras had been talking about how people should go to any extent to achieve their freedom, even violence, if necessary. Combeferre had countered that peaceful protest should be the method of reaching independence. The boys had become accustomed to arguments such as this, but the volume this argument reached began to embarrass each boy. Joly and Bossuet left first, both claiming to have a date with a girl. Enjolras and Combeferre took no notice of the absence of the bald and his companion, as the conversation heated up, until they were asked to leave the Musain it became so late.

The following day, Eponine was on a walk through the park to clear her head. She had reached the conclusion the previous night that she had to get over Marius. She may have always known this in the back of her mind, but it came into reality when she had to listen to him shamelessly flirt with a girl who was prettier than Eponine would ever be. There was no rain that day, and a good day had been forecast, so she wore a black t-shirt and khaki jeans. Mid-thought, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see, to her surprise, Grantaire.

"R!" she exclaimed. This boy had begun to shock her, as she had come to the conclusion he really didn't like many people. Or people in general, really. He met her with a disappointed gaze.

"You weren't at the Musain last night," he said simply. His gaze made her slightly uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I… I just wasn't in the mood to go out, that's all," she explained. He raised an eyebrow, not really believing her story.

"You're coming tonight, though," he stated. She got the impression he wasn't going to give her a choice.

"Yeah, okay. See you there," she started to walk away, as most of their interactions had concluded, but this time he joined her in her walk, though neither of them uttered a word after that.

That evening, Eponine pushed the doors to the Musain and made eye-contact with Grantaire, who sat at a separate table. She gathered this meant he was intoxicated, and she became thankful for the little novel in her handbag. She went to join the drunk at his lone table, when Courfeyrac stopped her.

"Not so fast," the curly-haired boy said. She faced him, and the table of boys he sat with. Enjolras sat at the head of the table, pouring over a book (but what was new there), beside the plaited boy. She really had to learn these guys' names.

"Today, Miss Eponine, _we_ are going to get to know you. Whether you like it or not," he instructed her. He gestured to an empty seat (the seat Marius usually sat in), which she took a little hesitantly.

"Um, before you do, - get to know me, I mean – could you tell me all your names again?" she asked, a little embarrassed. The bald one a few seats away from her burst out into laughter, and soon all the boys around her (except for Enjolras) were in fits. She waited patiently for them to stop. Courfeyrac soon obliged and introduced boys to her, and she tried to commit each of them to memory. Bossuet was the bald one who laughed a lot, Jehan was the one with the plait (which he actually pulled off, which was more than she could say for the distasteful clothes he wore), Joly was the one who was always wiping his hands with baby wipes. Feuilly was the one who wore a badge of the Polish flag, although the boy was clearly not Polish, Combeferre was the one from her History class with glasses, and lastly Bahorel was the friendly looking one who had a black eye.

"So, Eponine. Tell us about yourself," Combeferre asked her, pushing the glasses he wore up his nose. Eponine shrugged.

"There's not much to tell," she admitted. The plaited boy took her attention next, as he made a 'pfft' noise.

"There's always things to tell. You're always reading when you're here. What do you read?" the boy, Jehan, asked. She laughed a little, and took her book out of her handbag.

"_To Kill a Mockingbird_," she told them. "I've read it countless times. It's my sister and I's favourite book,"

Jehan smiled widely at this information. A new boy spoke then, Bahorel.

"See! Now we know your favourite book, and that you have a sister," the bruised boy grinned. "And what is your sister's name?"

"Azelma. I have a little brother, too," Eponine said a little sadly. She didn't mention that her little brother had run away from home, of course. That was a detail for another day.

"And what is your opinion of our little cause?" Combeferre spoke again. She shrugged, slightly embarrassed.

"I can't say I know much about it," she confessed. Each boy had a different reaction to this comment, but the most shocking one was Enjolras' recognition.

"Then let us inform you on it," the icy boy said. He then went into a speech about the injustices of the world, which really did captivate her. He began to speak generally, to the other boys, too, and she learned that he had started the main part of the evening. He spoke of how nowadays, revolution could only accomplish what everyone was trying to achieve. Eponine disagreed.

"Revolution is outdated," she interrupted. All they boys' attention went to her.

"How so?" Combeferre asked her, before Enjolras could argue with her. She looked down for a minute, composing her thoughts.

"Well, just… Revolutions worked hundreds of years ago, but could they really stir change now? Are people more cautious now, less ready to throw away everything for the sake of their country?" she explained. Each boy looked at her with a new respect, causing her to blush.

"But people go to war, are they ready to throw their lives away for their country?" Joly countered. She shrugged at that.

"Perhaps. I was just speaking my mind," she stated. The boys took in her opinions, and then each descended into their own conversations. Eponine tried to listen to the boys, tried to get involved in conversations, but in the end just sat back with her book. But the varying background noise made it difficult for her to focus on Scout and Jem, so she took to watching everyone. She noticed how frequently Joly cleaned his hands, how Bahorel made gestures as he spoke. She watched how although Jehan wasn't directly involved in Courfeyrac's conversation with Bossuet, he watched the curly-haired boy with glazed eyes. At one point, Courfeyrac turned to Jehan and held up his plait (Eponine had no idea why), and Jehan's face coloured an excellent shade of pink.

Her eyes eventually fell on Enjolras, who was concentrating on his book. He held a red pen in his hand with an almost steel grip, and made little notes in the margin. She watched as his hair toppled in front of his eyes as he wrote furiously, and how he didn't push it back although it must have been in his eyes. Eponine had to snap herself out of staring at him. She must have looked ridiculous. A minute later, she rose from the table.

"I better be getting home, guys," she excused herself and waved goodbye. They all chorused 'Bye Eponine!' before returning to their respective conversations. She shut the doors of the Musain behind her and made her way home.

Her sleeping father was snoring unattractively on the couch when she entered her tiny apartment. She closed the front door quietly and darted across the floor, praying he wouldn't wake up. She could smell the aroma of cheap beer that filled the living room, and did not wish to be subject to her father's hangover. She all but dove into her room, shutting the door behind her, and wasn't surprised by the sight of her sister sitting on her bed.

"Don't you have your own room?" Eponine laughed shakily. Azelma giggled, but it was half-hearted.

"I prefer yours," the younger Thenardier admitted. Eponine shrugged, and went about getting ready for bed.

The next morning, Eponine saw a text from Marius, and felt disgusted at the little leap her heart did when she read his name. 'Hey Ep! Can u help me w/ history 2day musain? Please?' it said. She rolled her eyes. Marius had most likely fallen behind in History, and found out he had some test in a few days. She replied quickly, saying she would.

"'Zelma! I'm going out," she shook her sister awake. Azelma moaned and rolled over, but Eponine guessed the girl had received the message. She clambered out her window and onto the fire escape, so not to get tangled up with her parents, and quickly pattered down the steps.

Marius awaited her when she reached the Musain. He held a History textbook, and looked ready to learn. She laughed at him as he beckoned her desperately.

"Oh my god, I need serious help, Ep," he sighed. "I have a test tomorrow, and I didn't study Friday _or_ Saturday because I was with Cosette,"

Eponine tried not to flinch when he said _her_ name, but she did. Gladly, Marius didn't seem to notice.

"You're lucky to have me, then," she smiled. She ordered a black coffee (which Marius paid for), and set to work.

"Enjolras is coming in a few hours to help me with the revolution, so you don't really need to worry about that," Marius told her, wincing as she took a hearty sip of her coffee. "How can you drink that?"

"It's better black," Eponine shrugged. It seemed almost fitting that Enjolras should be the revolution expert. "Okay, so. Renaissance?"

They spent the best part of two hours pouring over the Renaissance. Marius bought Eponine three black coffees, and her fourth was on the way.

"Why did the Renaissance begin in Italy?" she quizzed him.

"Italian language was similar to Latin so it was easier to translate. Uh… All the ruins of Ancient Rome made them curious and… Oh! The Greek scholars from Constantinople!" Marius answered. Eponine applauded him.

"I have taught you all that I know, young grasshopper," as she spoke, her phone buzzed. She saw Azelma's name flash on the screen, and she knew something was up.

"I gotta run!" she apologized to Marius, before running out the doors.

A few minutes later, Enjolras arrived at the Musain. He saw Marius staring at the door.

"Are you ready, Marius?" Enjolras asked, a little cynically. Marius looked up at the boy in the red jacket and nodded.

"Yeah! Yeah, sorry. Revolution!" Marius said. Enjolras looked at the boy for a minute, before taking his seat across from him. Just as he was taking Marius' book in his hands to find the revolution chapter, a waitress brought over a coffee. Enjolras regarded the coffee for a second, and then looked to Marius for an answer.

"It was for Eponine, but she had to go. Do you like black coffee?" Marius explained. Enjolras did like black coffee, surprisingly. He was surprised that Eponine liked it too, not many people did.

"Uh, yeah. Let's go, then," Enjolras said, taking the coffee. Enjolras then reluctantly spent at least three hours coaching Marius in past revolutions, a task that he thoroughly did not enjoy.

Eponine dashed home, clutching on to her hat which was close to being blown down. Azelma had told Eponine that the Patron Minette were coming over, and if Eponine wasn't home…

The Patron Minette was a gang that consisted of her father and his friends, including Montparnasse. Eponine had long since learned to stay out of the way of the Patron Minette. It was better to be home and locked away in a room and wait out the storm then arrive halfway through a plotting meeting, where she may be roped in or just be sneered at. She could stay out until they left, but that usually just made her father angry and there was no telling when the Patron Minette would finally leave.

Eponine just made it home and into her room on time. As she bolted her bedroom door she heard the vomit-inducing voice of Babet, a member of the Patron Minette. She could picture the man as he spoke. Tall and thin, his face telling stories of his lost children. He sent shivers down Eponine's spine.

As Eponine's gaze focused on her room, she noticed Azelma wasn't there, as the young girl had been quite frequently these days. Eponine pressed her ear against the wall that connected her room to Azelma's, and knocked. She felt a wave of relief when her sister knocked twice back, to show everything was okay. Now the two sisters just had to block out the noise of the Patron's drinking and scheming.

Eponine had fallen asleep by the time the Patron Minette had closed up shop and gone their separate ways. When Eponine awoke the following day for school, she could hear her father's obnoxious snoring. She slipped out the door making as little noise as possible, only taking a slice of bread for breakfast (although it wasn't like there was option for much else). The sky looked threatening, but Eponine felt that it may not rain on the way in.

Enjolras eyed the gloomy sky suspiciously as he gripped his umbrella. He willed the clouds not to rain, but he had little faith they would obey him. He strode out of his house and along his usual route. Thankfully, the clouds contained themselves (until he arrived at school, anyway) and he reached the school untouched. He went to his locker and was met by Courfeyrac. The young crowd-pleaser looked uncharacteristically on edge as he approached.

"Alright, Courf?" Enjolras asked his anxious friend as he took out some books. Courfeyrac shook his head.

"I tried to call Jehan for help but he wouldn't answer his phone and 'Ferre's not in yet..." Courfeyrac tried to explain why he was coming to the blonde boy for help. Enjolras just told him to get on with it.

"A slight problem arrived at my door last night," Courfeyrac started, and then informed his blue-eyed friend of the events that occurred once Courfeyrac had gone home. At the end of the story, Enjolras' jaw was almost floor-level.


	4. In which jehan is injured

**A/N: Okay, so I managed to write another chapter in 24 hours. No promises it's any good and sorry it's so short. I will be leaving on Thursday so I won't be able to update for three weeks. Please review, and thanks for reading!**

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Eponine was more than surprised when Javert walked into her English classroom. Her back straightened, and she was reminded that she hasn't actually supervised Cosette as promised. She shot a glance over at Marius, who was in her class. His eyes were fixed on Javert.  
"Your teacher is not present today, so I shall be supervising your class. Do your homework!" the stern man announced at the top of the classroom, before taking a seat behind the teacher's desk. Eponine's mouth gaped upon hearing that, and looked over at Marius again. The boy was now looking at her too, and grinning widely. He reached into his bag and pulled out a pad and set about scribbling something in it. Eponine returned her attention to her books; did she have any homework? It didn't look like it.  
She ended up revising history. She flicked through pages of her textbook and landed on a page on the revolutions. She couldn't help but smirk remembering that Marius had been tutored by Enjolras the previous evening.  
She found herself drifting off into daydreams, as the history in the book really didn't interest her in the way did. Her mind floated to the Musain and the boys who met there. She would probably go again that night, if she was asked by Marius or Grantaire. Or anyone, really. She had grown to enjoy these meetings, even if she had only been to three. She may even make friends with the boys who spoke of freedom. What an interesting thought.  
At lunch, when Eponine was sitting alone (Marius was nowhere to be seen), Bahorel stopped by her table. The bruise on his face shone still.  
"Eponine! Will you come to the Musain again tonight? The guys wanted me to ask you," the boy asked her. She nodded, a little taken aback by who had asked her, but gracious for having been asked. Bahorel grinned widely, a smile that filled his entire face, before nodding and continuing to his table.  
At the table of Les Amis (as the group was called), three boys were already in a sort of debate.  
"He just showed up at your door?!" Combeferre asked, totally gobsmacked. Courfeyrac nodded furiously, his face panicked.  
"What do I do, 'Ferre?" Courfeyrac asked, distressed.  
"You do as asked! You said your parents don't mind, why is this such a problem? You like the kid, don't you?" Enjolras argued. At this moment, Bahorel arrived.  
"What's happening guys?" Bahorel asked, sitting across from them. Courfeyrac glanced sideways at his friends before speaking.  
"Gavroche turned up at my door last night," Courfeyrac explained. Bahorel gasped.  
"That kid who used to hang out with us? I thought you hadn't seen him in months!" Bahorel said, absolutely shocked. Courfeyrac nodded.  
"I hadn't, but then the kid turns up at my house in the middle of the night saying he had run away from home a few months back and needed to live with me!" Courfeyrac told him. Bahorel looked at the three across from him with his mouth wide open, nothing to say.  
That afternoon, Eponine saw Cosette waiting by Marius' locker. The sight of the blonde leaning against the bright red metal was enough to discourage Eponine from even trying to wait for him. Or talk to him. She ducked back the way she came and left the school through another door and began to make her way home. She was just about to step into the park when her phone notified her of a text. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and read Azelma's name. She opened the text and saw "Dont come home, red alert". Eponine cursed. The two sisters had learned to communicate quickly and easily. Red alert meant their parents were fighting and if she came home she would be amidst a pile of shit. Since she couldn't go home, and she refused to seek refuge at Marius', it only left one place to go. The Musain.  
Enjolras sat alone at the table in the corner that afternoon in the Musain. His parents had gone away for three days which meant he didn't have to show his face at home after school and could go straight to the Musain. He held a black coffee in one hand and turned pages of his book with the other. He had put away his serious law textbooks for a day and was reading fiction. _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_, to be exact. He was taking a sip of his newly-bought coffee when Eponine entered the café. He didn't notice her until she asked if she could sit. He shrugged, anxious to get back to his book. She took out a book and ordered a coffee too, and the pair of them sat in silence. Until she spoke.  
"What is your fascination with revolutions and the concept of revolution?" she asked, putting her book down on the table. He looked up from his book, choosing his answer in his head.  
"I think it's magnificent. The people, citizens of a country come together of their own accord and free will and see that change must occur and that this is the best way to make things change," he explained, mimicking her by laying his book on the table. She scrunched her nose.  
"That's not exactly true though, is it?" she opposed. He tried his hardest not to be offended by this comment.  
"What do you mean?" he challenged, eager to hear her side. She straightened her back before she spoke.  
"Well, there are lots of revolutions that failed to bring change. The Irish Revolution or rebellion of 1798 - failed. The June rebellion in our own France. Yes, change was eventually brought about but do you see the risks; the atrocities that occurred as a result of these? You heard of pitchcapping in the Irish revolution, right?" she explained. He acknowledged this with an open look, but leaned forward to press his point.  
"Yeah, tar boiled on people's heads then ripped off. But I think that these events had to happen in order for change to be brought about. Say the Irish revolution had never been attempted, the idea of freedom would be abstract. Just because it didn't reach it's purpose doesn't mean it wasn't useful," Enjolras countered. Eponine pursed her lips, and left the debate at that. Enjolras was itching to push the matter further, but refrained. They read quietly, the only noise being the turning of pages or the sipping of coffee. A few hours (and cups of coffee) later, the café began to fill up. Combeferre was first to arrive, and eyed the pair of them a little oddly, before sitting beside Enjolras and starting his homework. Eponine saw both Joly and Bossuet kiss a red haired girl goodbye outside the café before entering and taking their seats. Jehan entered next, and asked if Courfeyrac was coming. They said he was, but he wasn't there yet. Feuilly arrived with Bahorel, and the two boys were discussing fighting methods in foreign countries (an interesting subject to say the least). Lastly, Courfeyrac entered and was followed by someone considerably shorter than him. Eponine's eyes landed on the small figure who walked next to Courfeyrac and almost let out a yelp. That dirty blonde hair and those glinting, cheeky eyes...  
"Gavroche!" she exclaimed, getting up from her seat. All the boys looked at her, Courfeyrac in a sort of shock. The little boy beside Courfeyrac looked up to see the source of the voice who called him and made an almost identical sound, except calling a different name.  
"'Ponine!" Gavroche, Courfeyrac's companion and Eponine's brother cried, all but jumping over tables as he ran towards her. She stepped a few steps forward and caught him in her arms, crying into his tiny shoulders. She pulled him up and swirled him around in her arms, clinging to him for dear life.  
"'Vroche." she whispered affectionately, pulling back to look at him. She held his face in her hands, and felt hot tears drip down her face.  
The family reunion was interrupted by Jehan clearing his throat.  
"What exactly is going on here?" Jehan asked. Eponine laughed, ruffling her little brothers hair. She almost choked on tears in her laughter.  
"This is my little brother, Gavroche," she explained, still crying. Her little brother beamed at the boys, by ashamed to have his older sister's arm around him.  
"I never knew Lil 'Vroche was your brother, Eponine," Courfeyrac commented, totally bemused. She shrugged.  
"Didn't come up," she said simply, pretending that her little brother hadn't always idolized the boy who spoke to her. She didn't need to ask what Courfeyrac was doing with her little brother, the answer was clear. Gavroche, after months of being alone had turned to the older boy who had been a sort of friend. It was sweet, really.  
"I missed you, you little idiot," she hit her little brother lightly, before pulling the kid into a tight hug.  
"I missed you too, 'Ponine. So much," Gavroche choked out. Eponine realised in that moment how hard it was for him. He had felt so neglected by his parents that he thought running away was the only solution. He cut himself off from his two beloved sisters, and fended for himself for weeks. She felt a pride for her young sibling.  
"How's 'Zelma?" the dirty-blonde kid asked, sitting down in a chair beside Eponine's. The two siblings didn't take notice that the whole group's eyes were watching the little scene, a beautiful representation of family at it's heart. Eponine giggled.  
"She's good. Same as always," she told him. Gavroche looked down for a second.  
"Could you... Could you call her and ask her to come here?" he asked timidly. She smiled at how out-of-character he was behaving. Usually he acted much tougher, he didn't want to seem like he ever needed anyone, but here he was, letting down any walls because he was with his sister. She nodded and texted Azelma, who responded immediately telling her she'd be there as soon as the laws of physics allowed.  
While they waited for the middle Thenardier, Courfeyrac bought Gavroche a hot chocolate and a muffin, which was welcomed by the skinny kid. A few moments later Azelma burst through the doors of the Musain and replicated the scene Eponine had caused with Gavroche, but the boy didn't seem to care.  
"How dare you leave me alone with her, 'Vroche!" Azelma joked, tears running down her cheeks. Gavroche laughed and gestured for Azelma to sit down.  
Eventually, Les Amis had their meeting, but the three of them were absorbed in their own bubble. Eponine and Azelma asked their little brother questions of where he had been and what he had done, and were further impressed each time he told a tale. Gavroche asked his sisters if things had got any better at home, a statement they sadly declined; things were the same, if not worse. Gavroche sighed, and then asked (with genuine interest) about school. Eponine told him of her amazing history teacher and Azelma spoke of bad grades.  
While the Thenardiers had their reunion, Enjolras found it very hard to concentrate. The more he heard from the family the more he likened them to the oppressed he was trying to defend. From what he heard (which wasn't much), they lived in a tiny flat on payments from the state, not to mention the fact their little brother was living it up in the alleyways. They stood for the people. They represented those he stood for. He barely made it through his daily speech, the eventful reading of the newspaper without absentmindedly eavesdropping on their conversation. He found a somewhat respect for the three of them. Once the group retired to each one's own interest and conversations, he was free to let his mind go anywhere. He held up his book, but just listened to Eponine and her siblings.  
"And the Patron? Are they still…?" Gavroche let the end of the question hang in the air, implications filling the sentence. Eponine nodded regretfully.  
"Nothing could stop the Patron," she sighed. Azelma sighed, concurring with her older sister.  
Towards the end of the night, Courfeyrac stood up from the table. He informed the Thenardiers that he had to go home, and if they wanted Gavroche to stay safe, he should go with him. Reluctantly, Eponine and Azelma let their brother go with Courfeyrac, only after hugs and kissed and promises to stay in touch or else.

Shortly after Gavroche left, Azelma became anxious to go home, in case she'd get in trouble. Eponine assured her that she wouldn't, that she had never got in trouble before and there was no reason for her parents to get mad, but still Azelma insisted on going home. Eponine considered staying, but most of the boys had gone home now so she accompanied her little sister home.  
They climbed up the fire escape and through Eponine's window so not to get caught, and both heard yelling going on outside the door. How her parents could argue and fight for so long Eponine didn't know, she just hopes she could sleep through it.  
Enjolras remained at the café after everyone left. Just before Combeferre left, the boy in glasses watched his friend read.  
"You're not doing your homework," Combeferre noted. Enjolras looked up from his book and nodded.  
"I can't imagine one meeting where you haven't studied or done your homework," he said, a vague tone of suspicion in his voice. The blonde shrugged. Eventually, he went home.  
Enjolras wasn't as lucky the following day in regards to the weather. Where on Monday the clouds only looked threatening, he didn't even have to look out a window to know the skies had let loose buckets of rain. He stepped out onto the street and held his umbrella aloft. He walked through the park, as he usually did, and wasn't surprised when he heard a familiar voice behind him.  
"Enjolras!" he turned to see Eponine walking towards him. She was already dripping, but he held out his umbrella to her. She grinned as she took it in one hand. They resumed a comfortable pace, jumping over puddles.  
"I'm glad you found your little brother," he told her. She smiled softly.  
"Me too," she said. He looked down at her and saw a warmth in her eyes he could swear wasn't there before. They arrived at the school, after walking in a comfortable silence, which was different to the atmosphere their walks had held previous days.  
"Same time tomorrow, then?" she said jokingly, pressed against the wall of the school as he closed up the umbrella. He smirked at her.  
"We'll see," he replied. They both walked into the school, before going their separate ways.  
Eponine reached her locker within seconds, and just as she was putting her books away she was greeted by Cosette. The dainty blonde smiled serenely at her, and Eponine forced a smile in return.  
"Hey Cosette," Eponine said, closing her locker.  
"Hey Ep," Cosette said, adopting Marius' nickname for her and Eponine wondered how she could make a simple sentence sound so elegant.  
"What's up?" Eponine began walking to class.  
"Oh Ep, I just had to find someone to talk to. Marius is wonderful!" Cosette practically sang. Eponine bit her lip to keep from gagging. Cosette proceeded to tell Eponine details from the previous evening. Marius had taken her out on a date to some restaurant in the city, and Eponine couldn't help but feel spiteful that Marius had skipped out on a meeting of Les Amis to spend time with the lark.  
Eponine eventually claimed she had to go to the bathroom just to get away from Cosette's dreamy voice. She tried not to hold the fact that Cosette was the object of Marius' affections, it wasnt exactly the girl's fault, but she still had sour thoughts.  
The school day was average, until lunch time. Eponine sat alone at a table, as Marius was taking Cosette on a 'lunch date'. She was in the middle of her page when a shadow stood in front of her. She looked up and saw Joly and Bossuet looking at her. She looked at them questioningly.  
"Come sit with us!" Bossuet practically commanded, grinning widely. Joly contributed with a beckoning gesture. She stared at them. Bahorel arrived beside the two of them and looked at her expectantly.  
Hesitantly, she took her lunch and her book and followed the three boys to their table. Joly announced her arrival, and a few of the boys cheered. She laughed and took a seat next to Grantaire, who was yawning and moving food around on his plate. She was engaged in conversation with Feuilly, who asked her about other countries she had been to, she sadly had to tell him she hadn't been to any. She spoke  
to Courfeyrac about Gavroche, and couldn't help but notice Jehan's eyes watching Courfeyrac's movements.  
"Jehan!" she decided to snap the effeminate boy out of his trance. His  
eyes clicked to her.  
"Can you braid my hair?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips. Bossuet overheard this and burst out laughing as she scooted her chair over to Jehan. By the time lunch was over, she was grinning rosily and had wonderfully plaited hair.  
At the end of the day, Eponine was surprisingly happy, happier than she had been in a while. She could hear the rain clattering against the roof of the school, so instead of waiting for Marius and ultimately being disappointed, she went to find Enjolras' locker.  
Enjolras was the picture of utter surprise when he arrived at his locker and saw Eponine leaning against it. She saw him moments after he noticed her, and smiled widely.  
"Any reason you're waiting by my locker?" he asked suspiciously.  
"Well, it's still raining, as you can probably hear," she told him, and he picked up the rest she implied.  
"You are too lucky," he smirked, taking still-drying umbrella from his  
locker. She giggled, but said nothing. Together, they exited the school and continued on a route to the park. They walked together until they reached the park, where Eponine took a path to the left where he took one to the right. They had spoke about a few general subjects, such as the unbelievable levels of rainfall, Gavroche and . Enjolras turned out to be easy enough to talk to, if you scraped past  
the surface, Eponine found.

That evening, Eponine went to the Musain, uninvited, but was greeted warmly. She sat with Grantaire again, and was pleasantly surprised by the dark haired boy's sobriety. When she asked him about it, he just winked and said "All for you, my dear,"

Enjolras gave his speech, this time without interruption from Eponine. She kept her opinions on revolutions to herself, and by bypassing that she found that the blonde boy spoke sense. He had an excellent way with words, a voice that could move crowds if used correctly. Once Enjolras' big speech was done, Marius came through the doors of the Musain, his face turning a brilliant red when he saw everyone looking up at him. He held his hands up in apology, but anyone could tell from the looks everyone wore that he wasn't forgiven. He took a seat, and stared in shock once he saw Eponine.

Eponine made an effort not to glance over at him, and tried to remain riveted in the conversation she was having with Joly.

"You never know when illness will strike, Eponine!" he said. Eponine had learned that Joly was a hypochondriac. He often diagnosed his own illnesses and freaked himself out with wonky symptoms and phantom sickness. He was forever inspecting his tongue in the mirror. Eponine feigned sympathy for him.

"So that's your argument for portable needles?" Eponine asked him, a little scoldingly. He nodded furiously in response.

Once everyone had departed, Enjolras finished up his homework. He sipped his last coffee until every drop was gone, and ran out the door. He had foolishly forgotten his umbrella, so had to dash through the rain. His blonde curls stuck to his face with the rain, that persisted to clash against the ground and Enjolras with an almost human force. Not for the last time, he cursed the rain and wondered what on earth was going on with the weather.

Enjolras was woken up by his phone ringing at six in the morning. It didn't really shock him, since he would have to get up soon anyway, but was still bleary-eyed when he answered.

"Yeah?" he muttered.

"'Jolras!" Courfeyrac's voice came at the other side of the phone. He was panicked.

"What is it, Courf?" Enjolras murmured, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"It's – I was out on my morning jog and I found… Jehan. He's badly bruised, 'Jolras," Courfeyrac explained, speaking incredibly fast. Enjolras sat up straight, any sign of sleep gone from him

"Where are you?"

Enjolras reached Courfeyrac and Jehan sooner than should have been possible, and the two boys carried Jehan to the hospital, which gladly wasn't too far away. Courfeyrac had called Enjolras as he was the unspoken Chief of the group, anyone who had a problem came to him with it, and his friends were his responsibility.

He had inspected some of Jehan's wounds, and although he wasn't an expert in medicine, he could tell it was bad. His face was bruised, and he had a cut on his shoulder. Scrawled across his face in garish sharpie was written 'FAG', and the poor boy's plait had been cut off. Enjolras and Courfeyrac called the school explaining that neither of them would be in, and soon enough, all Les Amis had arrived at the hospital to support Jehan. Enjolras ignored the fact they were all cutting class; Jehan took priority.

Eponine _knew_ something was up when she didn't run into Enjolras that morning, even though it wasn't raining. What was even stranger was his and Combeferre's absence from History class. She tried to find any one of Les Amis over lunch, but they were all MIA.

Her worry was assuaged when a text from Grantaire beeped on her phone in the middle of Geometry. She was incredibly thankful she had left her phone on silent. She snuck a peek at her phone and read the text. 'Les Amis all hospital w/ Jehan- hes badly hurt, drop by when u can'. Her heart leapt, and she couldn't concentrate during class for the rest of the day.

At the end of the day, she ran out the doors of the school and sprinted to the hospital.  
"I'm looking for Jean Prouvaire," she breathed heavily to the secretary. The secretary pointed her to the room. When she arrived at it, Bossuet and Combeferre were outside.  
"What happened to him?" Eponine asked Combeferre, concern coloring her voice excellently. Combeferre looked into the room before speaking.  
"He was jumped on the way back from the Musain. Some dicks who used to bully him for the flowers and stuff. At least we know the dicks," Combeferre explained furiously. Eponine looked in to Jehan's room, which was filled with people. She squished in there, and saw Jehan lying down. Courfeyrac stood at the side of his bed. Courfeyrac was running his hands through Jehan's newly-short hair, and even under the bruises he was blushing.  
"Hey Prouvaire," Eponine said softly. Jehan looked over at her and grinned.  
"Who found you?" she asked him. Jehan smiled widely and looked up at Courfeyrac.  
"Courf," Jehan said blissfully.  
The Les Amis meeting was in the hospital that night. Enjolras took  
newspapers into Jehan's room, and gave his speech as always. They drank coffee from the hospital café, which proved to be disgusting.  
The group was kicked out of the hospital once visiting hours were over, but Jehan was promised to be released the following day.  
Eponine only noticed on their departure that Marius hadn't made an appearance. Enjolras noticed the sudden change in her demeanor, but didn't say anything. Although on the route from school they walked through the park, on the way home they both walked separate ways. But not before Enjolras could grab Eponine's wrist to stop her.  
"If it's raining tomorrow, do you want me to wait for you in the park?" he asked, ignoring how warm her wrist was.  
"Sounds like a plan," she grinned, before spinning out of his grasp and strutting away. She found herself almost hoping it would rain the next day.


	5. In which courfeyrac makes a realisation

**A/N: Okay, here's the next chapter! So sorry it took so long, but I wasn't home for three weeks, what could I do? Hope you like it, please review!**

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Eponine walked towards the park with a little more purpose in her rain-drenched footsteps. She smiled at the splashes made by her feet in the puddles that littered the ground, splashes that brought her closer and closer to the park. She arrived in the park and saw Enjolras leaning against and old-fashioned looking lamppost, gripping his umbrella above his head. His curly head was untouched by the rain, whereas Eponine's dark hair was already clinging to her face and dripping. Enjolras held out his umbrella once he saw Eponine, who placed a hand on it and pulled it towards her gratefully.

"How it can rain so much in such a short space of time I will never know," the dark-haired girl joked. Enjolras smiled slightly, so vague and brief that it was hardly visible. But Eponine caught it, and felt a bubble of pride inside her. She had made Enjolras smile! There had to be some kind of award for that.

They continued on in silence, the only sound the splash of Eponine's feet in the puddles, and Enjolras' occasional sigh at the slight immaturity of it.

"So is Jehan okay?" Eponine asked once her feet became too soaked for her to enjoy the puddle-jumping. Enjolras nodded.

"Yeah, he's being released today. His injuries were mostly bruises, it looks a lot worse than it actually is, the doctor said," he replied. Eponine let out a short sigh of relief at the good news.

"Who was it that did it? Combeferre said it was some guys who used to bully him," she asked him. Enjolras shrugged, a little annoyed.

"I don't know them. It's 'Ferre and Bahorel who had seen him being bullied before I did, so I can't say I know. I think they've graduated though, which really pisses me off. They shouldn't… They should… They've graduated. They're meant to be mature enough to _not_ do that kind of stuff. They should have enough common sense," Enjolras explained, and Eponine began to sense his speech voice kicking in, the one that could move you to do anything, to believe in anything.

"Jerks," Eponine interjected simply. Enjolras agreed. "On a kind of different subject… Jehan and Courf. Are they a thing?"

Enjolras looked down at her in shock. Not specifically because she suggested the two boys were gay (that didn't really concern him) but that she thought they were a couple. He shook his head quickly. Eponine shrugged, slightly embarrassed.

"Maybe they should be," she muttered. They continued on again, not speaking over the rain against the umbrella. Eponine, whose eyes had been fixed on the ground, looked up and saw them nearing the school gates. The walk had seemed to take no time at all. They arrived at the school, and the two exchanged goodbyes before dashing off to their respective lockers.

Eponine arrived at her locked and was dismayed when she saw Cosette waiting against the red metal.

"Hey Cosette," Eponine feigned a smile. Cosette seemed to be in too much of a daze to notice.

"Oh em gee Ep!" Cosette exclaimed, and Eponine winced at the 'oh em gee' and the nickname. Marius clearly had been calling her that when he spoke to Cosette. "Did you hear about what happened to poor Jean? Marius and I were on a date last night and he got a text about it!"

Eponine had to contain a laugh when Cosette referred to Jehan as 'Jean', and then felt a surge of contempt for Marius, who didn't seem to have the decency to visit his friend in hospital. Where was the Marius she was in love with? Had Cosette completely changed him?

"Uh yeah, I heard," Eponine said plainly, getting her books out of her locker. Cosette shook her head sadly.

"Are you in my English class?" Cosette then asked, brushing away the subject of Jehan. Eponine raised an eyebrow, she clearly wasn't if she hadn't been the previous week. She shook her head.

"Are you okay, Cosette? You seem a little… in the clouds," Eponine said gently. Cosette shrugged, her blonde hair swishing gracefully around her shoulders.

"It's just… I feel caught up in a whirlwind, y'know? Like everything that's happening around me isn't actually happening or is just… less important or something? I'm the happiest I've ever been, Ep!" Cosette grinned dreamily, and Eponine restrained herself from pointing out that she hadn't exactly known Marius all that long.

"I have to go," Eponine excused herself, closing her locker with a bit too much force, before dashing off to class.

Meanwhile, in another part of the school, Combeferre met Enjolras at his locker.

"You walked in with Eponine again this morning." Combeferre stated, looking for a response from his curly haired friend. Enjolras just nodded.

"Yeah. And?" the blonde said, closing his locker. Combeferre shrugged nonchalantly.

"Since when were you two so fond of each other?" the spectacled boy hinted. Enjolras raised his eyebrow at his friend then.

"We're not, she just makes good company is all. She's more friendly with Grantaire anyway," Enjolras responded, before leading the way to their next class.

"She's still invited to the Musain tonight then?" Combeferre asked. Enjolras nodded.

"If she's wanted by at least one of Les Amis, she has an open invitation. You know that's what it's like 'Ferre," Enjolras replied. Combeferre nodded, and followed Enjolras.

The rest of the day went by pretty normally. Jehan was greeted with whoops and cheers at the lunch table, with Courfeyrac acting extremely protective over him, which Eponine could tell the previously plaited boy loved. Jehan plaited Eponine's hair again, to make up for the fact he had lost his. Marius again went absent from the meal, but Eponine saw him in between classes and he somehow managed to still set the butterflies in her stomach fluttering no matter how annoyed with him she was. One of the highlights of her school day was Marius ruffling her hair, because his hands just felt so lovely. She really had to get over him.

Eponine was late arriving along to the Musain that night. Her mother was having one of her moments where she could not do anything and just lay on her bed in despair, so the responsibility fell to Eponine to feed her father. She thought once she did that she would be let free, but her father refused to let her leave the house, so she had to climb out the fire escape.

She walked through the doors of the Musain dripping wet, and walked in on an argument between Combeferre and Enjolras. She couldn't tell what about. She sat down beside Jehan, who was scribbling in a little notebook. She observed Enjolras and Combeferre for a minute, and she discovered they were arguing about the merits of using violence as a way to get one's point across. Enjolras was saying that it was the only way to really catch people's attention but Combeferre argued that violence could end the cause before it began. It was truly riveting.

"Where Enjolras admires a blazing flame, Combeferre prefers the sun," Jehan mused to himself, almost out of Eponine's earshot.

"What do you mean?" She asked. He cast his dreamy eyes down, blushing. He twiddled with his pen.

"Well, Enjolras admires a blazing flame, meaning he admires something that burns bright and short, strong but fleeting, almost... But Combeferre... He prefers the sun, being that he prefers something bright but lasting. Do you see?" He tried to explain. She did see.

"You're pretty observant, Prouvaire," she smiled, sitting beside him. He nodded softly, putting the pen down.

"I'm pretty observant too, y'know," she informed him, cutting her eyes sideways. He looked at her, slightly befuddled.

"Like I observe the way you look at Courf, the way you blush whenever his hand brushes yours," she continued in a gentle but menacing tone.

"You're in love with him, Jehan," she sat up straight, and looked him in the eye. "And if you don't tell him, so help me god, I will tell him myself,"

Jehan gulped. His eyes flicked over to Courfeyrac, who was sitting between Combeferre and Enjolras, looking both embarrassed and amused by the pair. He took no notice of Eponine and Jehan's conversation, to the previously-plaited boy's relief. Jehan lowered his voice as he replied to Eponine.

"What if he doesn't love me back?" Jehan asked, worriedly. Eponine sighed.

"You carry on. You, Jehan, are strong enough not to let that stop you from going on. You are excellent. But this secret love thing? It's holding you back. Don't let it," she told him. She felt like a hypocrite saying it.

"Start taking your own advice, 'Ponine," she muttered to herself after Jehan turned away from her and back to his notebook in dismay.

Enjolras and Combeferre's argument was cut short by Combeferre receiving a phone call from his mother demanding his presence at home, cueing his mockery from Grantaire who appeared sober enough to participate in conversation. Eponine moved from her spot next to Jehan and sat next to the drunk, who had a pen in his hand. Eponine noticed he was doodling on his arm. Little birds flew around Grantaire's forearm, ad Eponine found them to be wonderfully drawn.

"You're an artist, R," she remarked, and the drunk just laughed.

"I draw a little, but I'm no artist," he said a little bitterly. Eponine sighed, before deciding it was time for her to head home. Enjolras stopped her before she made it to the door.

"You walk home alone? This late?" he asked. Eponine was a little bemused. She had left alone other nights, why should Enjolras notice it that night?

"Yeah. So?" she replied. Enjolras stood up.

"The streets of Paris can be dangerous this late," he warned, and caused her to let out a sharp bark of laughter.

"If anyone knew that, it would be me. Goodnight," Eponine told him, before disappearing out the door and into the night.

"What do you suppose she meant by that?" Courfeyrac pondered aloud, and Enjolras just shrugged. There was clearly a deeper mystery to Miss Eponine Thenardier then met the eye.

Eponine seemed to make it through her window just in time. Her bedroom door had been locked, gladly, as she would have got into trouble if she had left it open, because just as she tumbled onto her bedroom floor, her father came banging at her door.

"Eponine! Where is your sister?!" he yelled in at her. Eponine began to worry. If Azelma wasn't in her room, where was she?

"Check her room!" Eponine called back to him. She listened to her father thud away and began knocking on Azelma's door. Eponine let out a sigh of relief when she heard her younger sister reply. Oh, what fun you could have in the Thenardier house.

The following day, Eponine received a text from Marius asking her to meet him at the school as soon as she could. She was still in bed at the time but she still managed to get there in record-breaking time. She met Marius outside the school gates, and she cursed her heart for jumping when he looked up at her.

"Ep! Thank you so much for getting here so fast!" Marius hugged her briefly. He pulled out a letter from his backpack.

"Anyway, my great-aunt or someone's after dying so I have to go to the funeral and Cosette's phone broke last night... Could you just give her this letter?" He begged her. Eponine let out an internal yell, but agreed to deliver the letter for him. How could she say no when he looked at her with those eyes? He squealed and pulled her into a tight hug, before dashing out the school gates and away from Eponine.

For the rest of the day, Eponine was in a grouchy mood to say the least. Cosette had reacted with adoration when Eponine had given her the letter, and the blonde was too caught up to notice Eponine's sour disposition. No-one actually commented on her bad mood until lunch, when she sat next to Grantaire.

"Eponine, are you okay?" Grantaire asked her within seconds of her sitting down. She flicked her eyes over to him, and anyone could tell something was up.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" she replied quickly. He didn't believe her, but he kept quiet. The group conversation buzzed around them, and she didn't speak again until after Combeferre made a general statement about Marius' absence that day.

"He's gone to some funeral," she informed him, and no-one missed the bitter tone in her voice as she said it. "I had to deliver a letter to Cosette about it, that's how I know,"

They all regarded her with a somewhat discovering look, but didn't say anything. She wolfed down her food and left the table.

"Well gentlemen, I think something is definitely up with Eponine and Marius," Courfeyrac stated, and most of the table murmured their agreement. "And it is now my mission, gentlemen, to find out what exactly it is,"

"Eponine!" a girly voice called.

Eponine stood at her locker and turned to see Cosette running towards her, her blonde hair flying behind her, holding a letter. She held the letter out to Eponine.

"Do you think, if you see Marius, and you probably will, you could give this to him? I just think that letter-writing is the absolute cutest thing..." the blonde giggled, and Eponine all but snatched it from her. Cosette looked a little shocked by the fast reaction.

"Sure," she said grudgingly. This letter would make Marius happy so even if it was somewhat against her will she would deliver it. Cosette disappeared again and was almost immediately replaced by Jehan. He was grinning almost proudly.

"I'm going to do it. Today, Eponine, I will tell him I love him. I will tell Courfeyrac I am in love with him and I have been for a while. Today is the day," the delicate boy told her. Eponine smiled widely at him

"You just made my day so much better, Prouvaire," she told him, pulling him into a hug. When she released him, he skipped off.

Enjolras was walking to class with Courfeyrac when Jehan approached the two of them.

"Hey Jehan," both boys greeted him, and he waved. Enjolras noticed he still had some bruising on his face, a black-eye the most obvious of it, but his smile outshone it. Jehan fell into step beside the two boys

"Uh, Courf, could I talk to you for a second?" Jehan said, a little nervously. Courfeyrac nodded, and Enjolras walked away so Jehan could have his privacy. Jehan pulled Courfeyrac over to a wall and started to talk to him. He was shaking. Enjolras couldn't tell for his life why Jehan was nervous. He stood by his locker, which was a bit away from where Jehan and Courfeyrac were talking. He wasn't taking much notice of them when Eponine approached him.

"Hey 'Jolras," she greeted him, flicking her brown hair over her shoulder. He was taken aback by her use of the nickname, which he was usually only called by his friends. Which Eponine sort of was now, he supposed.

"Eponine," he replied. She looked over at Jehan and Courfeyrac, and he heard her almost squeal.

"What's going on over there?" she asked him, as nonchalantly as possible. He shrugged, and then looked at her suspiciously.

"I think you might already know," he eyed her cautiously, while she made several 'who, me?' gestures and facial expressions. She started to try and explain herself when she fell silent, her mouth agape. She was staring at something behind Enjolras. He followed her gaze, and reached the same expression she wore. Over in the direction Eponine was looking was Courfeyrac and Jehan. And what they were doing was the last thing anyone would expect them to be doing (except perhaps Eponine).

Courfeyrac's hand was tangled in Jehan's shortened hair, and the two were kissing. Jehan was gripping onto Courfeyrac's jacket with his two hands, pulling the dark-haired boy towards him. It wasn't a sight normally seen at their school, but it looked like the two boys didn't care. Eponine had to contain a cheer.

Once the two boys finished their kiss, Eponine ran over to Jehan and pulled him into a hug (a gesture she realized may not have been the most polite thing to do) and kissed him on the forehead, before disappearing again to leave the two boys again. She returned to Enjolras, who stood gaping at his two friends. She turned him away from them and started walking away with him.

"How didn't you see that coming?" she giggled, her mood improved tremendously. He shook his head in disbelief. Maybe he just wasn't the type of person to pick up on people's apparently 'obvious' emotions.

That night at the Musain, Courfeyrac and Jehan entered holding hands, and were met with a round of applause. The news of the couple spread like wildfire, and not a homophobic phrase was uttered in the entire school's hallways. Enjolras' great inspiring speech was put on hold while Courfeyrac retold the story of how Jehan confessed his love for him, and how as he spoke Courfeyrac had an epiphany that he loved Jehan too. While he told this story, Grantaire (who was only partly drunk) leaned over to Eponine and told her that he had always known too. While Courfeyrac was flirting with all the girls, Grantaire had seen Jehan's secret glances at the other boy, but hadn't said anything, like Eponine had.

Eventually, the boys passed the spotlight over to Enjolras, who began to speak to them about the flawed education system, a new subject for the group. It was as captivating as ever, and the late hours dawned quickly. Eponine was in no rush to go home, as there was a rumored Patron meeting at her house that evening, so she stayed at the Musain for a while.

A while into the night, it was just Eponine and Enjolras. Bahorel had just left because he had to talk to 'a guy' as he put it about 'a thing'. Eponine had been conversing with him for a good part of the evening so she was kind of left at a loose end when he left. She was about to check if she had brought a book when Enjolras spoke.

"Bahorel keeps some of the wrong company sometimes," the curly-haired boy told her, his eyes still on his book. It was a history book of some sort, Eponine noticed, and he was highlighting sentences in it.

"How so?" Eponine asked him. His eyes left his book and met hers.

"When Bahorel leaves us he usually goes downtown. I'm not sure what he does there but I'm sure I wouldn't want to get involved," he told her. She nodded, almost understanding what he was getting at. His eyes returned to his book, and she was sure he was reading about revolutions again.

"Enjolras?" she said quietly. He looked up again.

"Yeah?" he replied, his fingers drumming on the table. She looked at him hesitantly, trying to phrase her words just right.

"_Why_ are you so fixated on revolution? I don't see how you, or any of the boys believe that in this day and age that a revolution… of death and riots will really change France. I just don't see it," she said, almost all at once. He looked at her for a few seconds, trying to word his own sentence too.

"Because it would be truly magnificent to see the people come together to save the country, the fatherland. To save _Patria,_" he responded passionately. She laughed slightly.

"Patria? We're using Latin now, are we?" she answered smartly, but he didn't say anything. His eyes returned to his book, and Eponine got the sense that she had pissed him off. Time passed, and she tried to get through to him again.

"Sure, the country's messed up, but a revolution wouldn't fix it, Enjolras," Eponine told him truthfully. He looked up from his book, almost regretfully.

"I know. I will never have my revolution, so I read about past ones,"

This revelation shocked Eponine, and seemed to shock Enjolras too. He looked almost as surprised as she was as soon as the words left his mouth.

"But it's nice to have something to believe in, something to fantasize about. I really love France, Eponine, and what I'd like to do is save her. But…" he waved away the thought, and tried to erase that conversation from his mind as he looked down at his book again.

Eponine now felt extremely awkward being in the café with him after getting him to say such a thing, so she excused herself and went to leave.

"I'll walk you home," Enjolras surprised her by clearing away his books almost instantly. "It's a lot later than usual,"

Eponine was shocked that within seconds he had put the revelation behind him. If she was him, she would have felt too awkward to be around her, much less walk her home. But it _was_ later than usual, so she wasn't going to refuse the offer, even if she probably could have made it home by herself.

"Y'know, I can hardly believe that we stay out this late every night and still manage to get up for school the next day," Eponine mused as she walked alongside Enjolras. The blonde shrugged.

"It's not like we're out partying and getting wasted. And it's only…" he checked the time on his phone. An iPhone; why wasn't Eponine surprised? "Eleven. Huh."

It was a marvel how any of Les Amis got enough sleep to get them through their days, but they did. Eponine posed the question to Enjolras, who simply said they all drank coffee with their breakfast.

Eponine made Enjolras leave her alone about a block away from her part of town. She didn't need him worrying about where she lived on what went on in her life; if he – if _anyone_ – knew where she lived they'd know something went on in her family that was dodgy. It was like that with any of her neighbors.

Eponine climbed in through her window, just to be safe, but it was unnecessary. She could here her father snoring in the room outside her door, to her relief.

Enjolras walked away from Eponine, as she requested, but after a certain distance, turned back just in time to see her turn on her heel and sprint down a street that only had one working streetlamp. If he knew Paris like he thought he did, Eponine was living in a fairly unsafe part of town. Yet another chapter of mystery in novel that was Eponine Thenardier.

Enjolras talked to Courfeyrac about Eponine's dodgy living location on Saturday. It was the morning, and Enjolras had popped over to Courfeyrac's just to get out of his house. Courfeyrac's parents worked on the weekends, so it was just the two boys and Gavroche.

"Well 'Jolras, she's hardly come from a good background if her little brother ran away from home, y'know?" Courfeyrac reasoned with him in a hushed tone. Gavroche wasn't in the room with them, but the kitchen door was open and the living room was just down the hall, there was no promise Gavroche couldn't hear what they were saying. Enjolras shrugged; he hadn't thought about that.

"You haven't talked to Gavroche about his family, have you?" Enjolras asked, which was quickly answered with a shake of the head from Courfeyrac.

"I don't think he wants to talk about it, not yet anyway. It'll eventually come to light. My parents need to figure out the legal stuff about letting him stay with us, and trust me, it's not a walk in the park.

Enjolras supposed his friend was right, but something about it just rubbed him the wrong way. Why hadn't Eponine said anything about her living situation? And why had she tried to hide it from Enjolras? _That _was the real question.

**A/N: Is it obvious I'm a Jehan/Courf shipper? **


	6. in which eponine is a tour guide

**A/N: Hey guys! So this is the new chapter! I'd like to thank y'all for reviewing and stuff, without ye i probably wouldn't have continued this. i'll warn you that i recently visited paris and this chapter ended up being kind of influenced by that. here you go, please review!**

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On Monday, the weather looked like it may have been picking up. There had been no rain on Sunday or Saturday, and the skies looked friendly enough that morning. Eponine was glad not to be soaked to the bone for once, but something inside her felt sad. She couldn't place a finger on it, but when she looked out her window and didn't see rain attacking her window, she felt disappointed.

She was incredibly shocked to see Enjolras waiting by the same old streetlamp he had waited at with an umbrella a few days beforehand. His eyes were waiting for Eponine, and when he saw her, he straightened up. She increased her speed to reach him.

"You waited for me," she said questioningly. He shrugged awkwardly. "It's dry,"

"Felt like I shouldn't leave you walk in alone. Company's good and all that," he said, and she couldn't stop herself from laughing at him. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Enjolras, I think we're becoming friends," she teased him. He laughed along with her then, and agreed. He asked if they should start walking now, and she answered by patting his head and striding ahead of him. On their way to school they talked about semi-trivial things, such as M. Madeleine versus M. Mabeuf. Mabeuf was Enjolras' favourite teacher, and sure, Madeleine was a good teacher _but_…

"Well I guess I don't have Mabeuf for anything, so I wouldn't know," Eponine concluded, sort of surrendering the argument.

"I had a question to ask you actually. Are you the only one of your friends that walks to school?" she asked him, mostly to get him to stop going on about Mabeuf. Enjolras shrugged at that.

"I think so. I walk by choice," he told her. She rolled her eyes at him. Naturally, he wouldn't drive because some people couldn't afford cars, or just because it was healthy. She didn't pretend to understand how his mind worked, but on the occasions she did…

They had arrived at the school gates at that point, so she said goodbye and went to her locker, just as she had every other morning they had walked to school together. When she arrived at her locker, the disappointment she had when she woke up was gone.

At lunch, Marius came over and sat with Eponine and Les Amis. He didn't hold back his surprise that Eponine was seated with them, but thankfully he didn't say anything. All Les Amis were ticked off at Marius; he had stopped coming to meetings, only sending texts an hour into the meeting saying he had a date. They were glad the guy had a girlfriend, sure, but did that really mean he could ditch his new friends?

"Hey Marius," Combeferre greeted him, trying to not to come off as cold as the group probably seemed to him. Marius nodded at him. Courfeyrac was seated a few chairs away from him, and he had his arm around Jehan's shoulder. Eponine's heart leaped every single time she saw the couple together, as she saw them as perfection. She couldn't help but sigh at the dreamy look in Jehan's eyes whenever he was with Courfeyrac, as if he couldn't believe what was happening was actually happening or if he was hallucinating, and every few minutes you'd see Jehan touch Courfeyrac's skin to make sure he was real.

While all Eponine saw was how happy the couple was, Enjolras noticed a fire in Courfeyrac's eyes, how while one hand slouched over Jehan's shoulder the other was balled in a fist. After Jehan said goodbye to his boyfriend to go to class, Enjolras pulled Courfeyrac aside and asked about it. Courfeyrac told him that the principal had yelled at him and Jehan and requested that the two did not display their affections publicly as it was inappropriate. Which Courfeyrac said would have been fine, if they hadn't been feet away from another couple displaying their affections pretty publicly, and the only difference between those two and Courfeyrac and Jehan was that one of them was a girl.

Enjolras' fist balled at that, and he could see exactly why his friend was so annoyed. He said goodbye to Courfeyrac, who told him not to make a huge deal out of it (but in all reality, this was Enjolras. Asking him not to make a big deal out of something like that was pointless). He jogged to the principal's office and banged on the door.

Javert came to the door and was slightly surprised when he saw Enjolras.

"Can I help you?" he asked the fuming boy. Enjolras glared him down for a minute before he spoke.

"Why do you give out to a gay couple for kissing in the hallway and prevent them from doing so and fail to reprimand a straight couple from doing the exact same?" Enjolras all but yelled at the grey-haired man. Javert stared at Enjolras in shock.

"Because one is natural, and one is not," he said simply. Enjolras was utterly surprised. He nearly hit the man, but that was not how Enjolras operated. He composed himself, and looked the older man dead in the eye.

"Sir, you have to realize how incorrect you are. If you don't, I will make sure every student in this school realizes it for you, and they will take action," he said quietly, which made him seem a lot more dangerous. He left those words hang in the air for a moment, before turning around sharply and marching to class. When he sat down beside Combeferre, his friend could tell gears were whirring in his friend's mind… something excellent had been put into place.

That evening, around the time everyone had gone home and before everyone left their houses to go the Musain, Enjolras texted them all to tell them he had a plan. He wouldn't tell them what, but he said to make sure they went to the Musain that night. Eponine didn't know how he got her number, but she replied saying she would go.

Eponine arrived along to the Musain a little earlier then she usually would go, and was surprised to see all Les Amis there before her. Her eyes took in the busy scene before her.

Enjolras was seated at the head of their table, with piles of book in front of him. He was skimming through a thick hardback, his eyes flying over the pages. His hands remained rigid except for when they moved to turn the page or bring a mug of coffee to his lips.

The table that usually occupied Grantaire and solely Grantaire was empty, which meant the boy had taken the responsibility to not drink before the meeting, and was sober enough to participate. Eponine was always a little saddened by Grantaire's perpetual drinking and lack of sobriety, but there was not much she could do. She saw Grantaire sitting a few chairs away from Enjolras, gazing seemingly into empty space.

Next to Grantaire sat Courfeyrac and Jehan. Eponine didn't pretend to hide her joy that the couple were seated together, and grinned widely. Jehan's fingers were running aimlessly through Courfeyrac's mop of hair and Courfeyrac stroked Jehan's jaw with a sole finger. Courfeyrac's other hand lay on the table, in a fist.

Bossuet and Joly were engaged in a heated argument, but the subject of which Eponine could not make out. She heard the occasional word 'Musichetta' but it didn't mean anything to her. Joly used his hands to emphasize what he was saying. Bossuet's arms were crossed at his friend, and he often rolled his eyes at the other boy.

Bahorel and Feuilly were seated together and were just chatting. Eponine noticed they both had equally bad posture, the pair of them slouched back in their chairs, talking lazily to each other. They each held a coffee in their hands.

Beside Enjolras, almost hidden by the pile of books, was Combeferre. He too, was reading, but at a much slower pace than his curly-haired friend. His glasses were perched precariously at the tip of his nose.

At Combeferre's right, Marius sat. Eponine cursed her heart for jumping once she laid eyes on him. Marius wasn't talking to anyone, but was gazing lovingly at his phone, and Eponine didn't have to look at it to know he was texting Cosette. Eponine suddenly remembered the letter Cosette had given her to give to Marius. Had Eponine kept it from her friend on purpose? Now _there_ was a question.

Grantaire saw Eponine first, and cried out her name. He gestured for her to sit beside him, which she did. The rest of the boys (except Enjolras and Combeferre, who were preoccupied) greeted her, and Grantaire began to tell her a story involving his sister.

About a half hour later, Enjolras tore his eyes away from his book and clapped for the group's attention. Some other people in the café looked over at him, but they soon returned to their own business.

"Alright. So it's about time we stopped giving out about problems and did something to stop them," Enjolras began. The eyes of all his friends were on him now.

"We never had a cause, as a group. Talking about social injustice and flicking through papers is one step, but I propose that we take one further step,"

Enjolras went on to tell the group about how Javert had discriminated against Courfeyrac and Jehan, which led the group to boo loudly.

"Asshole!" Bahorel yelled.

"He's a dipshit!" Bossuet agreed.

"Complete fuckwagon!" Joly chimed in. Enjolras took in his friends' reactions with pride; they had the correct perspective, anyway.

"Now, I realize that Courf and Jehan aren't the only couple to undergo this discrimination. And if that is the case, how is it fair? How is it just in any way that two citizens are denied the right to love?" Enjolras lectured, getting incredibly passionate. The group hung on his every word, murmuring agreement.

"So we should find every couple that's been forced to hide in the closet, anyone who's sexuality is denied because some guy who's too far behind the times thinks it's unnatural. We should find these people, and _give them a voice_. Make them _heard._ What do you guys think?" Enjolras concluded. The group concurred loudly, applauding Enjolras. No-one asked about any further details of his plan; that was up to Enjolras to tell them eventually.

The boys stayed at the Musain for hours. Eponine eventually moved from Grantaire's side to Enjolras'. He was still flicking through his books furiously, and only looked up when she placed a hand on his page.

"You need to take a break, friend," she told him simply. He rolled his eyes at her, but he let her take the heavy book from the tabletop and place it on the pile of books.

"You work yourself ragged, 'Jolras," she noted, with a slight scolding tone. He shrugged, as if he didn't know that already.

"Do you ever watch tv?" she asked him. He shook his head. "When was the last time you went to the movies or something?"

She watched as he thought about that, and she sighed loudly when he drew no conclusion.

"Enjolras, I get that you're devoted to your cause or whatever, but that can't be healthy! You know that saying… 'All work and no play…'" she lectured him. He sighed.

"What do you suggest then, Eponine?" he retorted. Her eyes twinkled as she informed him that the following weekend she was going to force him to have fun if it killed her.

Courfeyrac overheard this conversation. He stopped talking mid-sentence and just listened to Eponine tease Enjolras, listing out all the 'fun' things she would force him to endure. Courfeyrac listened intently as Enjolras _teased her back_, something that was alien to anyone. What a peculiar girl Eponine was, to draw Enjolras out of his stuffy, marble-like shell. Courfeyrac liked having her around. They all did.

After a week of Enjolras working himself to the bone on this thing for Courfeyrac and Jehan, Eponine stuck to her promise on Saturday. That week had been less tiresome then previous for her. She found herself having more fun in school now; she had friends in more classes now, people she hadn't even known were in her class because she was two busy thinking about Marius. Marius and his situation with Cosette still bothered her, but Eponine found herself hating Cosette less, in general. She was still annoyed whenever she saw them together, but Cosette's presence in her life didn't matter as much now, which was good enough, she guessed.

But Enjolras had been at the Musain every night, before everyone else and staying well after they left. Eponine was more than happy with dragging him away from it all, even for just a day.

"Eponine!" Enjolras was more than surprised to see the brunette at his door on Saturday morning. She was dressed warmly, and he was wary of the amount of layers she wore. It no longer rained every other day, but winter was coming and the weather was getting several notable degrees colder. Enjolras, however, was just in a t-shirt and pyjama pants. She tried not to snicker at the fact that Enjolras was a pyjama-pants-in-bed kind of guy.

"I told you on Monday, and I reminded you every day this week; I'm going to force you to have fun today if it kills me." Eponine declared, looking him straight in the eyes with a look that didn't make him want to disagree with her.

"Give me a minute," he told her, and dashed into the house again, leaving the door open. Eponine could see most of hallway from where she was standing, and wow, was it a sight. The floors were polished wood, with marble walls (Eponine wasn't sure if it was a good decorating decision, but damn did it look fancy). She could see a bit of the staircase, but before she got a good look, Enjolras appeared back at the door. His t-shirt and pyjama pants had been swapped for a huge red hoodie and sweats. Eponine couldn't help but notice how uncharacteristic the outfit was for Enjolras. But she couldn't say he didn't look comfortable.

"Alright, what's the plan?" he said, closing the front door behind himself.

"Well, first, we're going to go to Starbucks and – no, listen!" she told him, as he groaned audibly at the mention of Starbucks. "We are going to go to Starbucks, and buy a coffee, which aren't actually that awful, for your information. And _then_, okay, the fun is this bit. We're going to count how many people instagram their cups within one hour. We also get to make fun of the bizarre drinks people get and make assumptions on the people in there,"

When she finished, Enjolras looked more like he was actually considering it. She shook his slightly, with her grip only on one arm.

"It's fun, I promise. Me and 'Zelma do it a lot," she told him. He resigned, and let her lead the way to the nearest Starbucks.

Enjolras' nose went up the minute they walked into the shop. Eponine got him a black coffee and sat him down. She had a black coffee for herself too.

"Okay, so. See that girl over there?" Eponine gestured to a redhead at the counter. Enjolras nodded.

"Watch her. I bet she'll whip out an iPhone and snap a picture of the coffee," she informed him. And sure enough, after the girl got a vanilla bean frappucino, she sat down and took a picture of her name on the cup. Eponine couldn't see what the name was, which bothered her. Sometimes people got the person at the counter to write a ridiculous name on the coffee.

After a few minutes, while Enjolras and Eponine were trying to scope out any other potential instagrammers, the redhead's phone rang.

"Joly!" she answered the phone. Eponine and Enjolras' attention snapped to the girl, who got up an dashed out the door, her frappucino in hand. They exchanged a look.

"Our Joly?" Enjolras wondered. Eponine smiled at him referring to Joly as 'our', inferring Joly was hers too. She shrugged.

After the hour, Eponine and Enjolras had made fun of eight Starbucks-goers, spotted ten instagrammers, and laughed at one girl who was taking selfies in the corner. As they walked out of the shop, Eponine turned to her blond companion.

"Was that horrendous?" she asked him. He admitted it was okay, but he hoped she had more planned for the rest of the day. It was only half eleven after all. She smiled cheekily, and led him away from the coffee shop.

"A friendly source, whom I shall not name, told me that you have never been up the Eiffel Tower," she told him. Enjolras cursed.

"Was it 'Ferre?" he asked accusingly. She held a finger to her lips, she wasn't going to reveal her sources.

"Is it true?" she asked him, an eyebrow raised. He nodded, his eyes on the ground. Her jaw dropped, and her pace quickened.

"You are a Parisian! How have you never been up the Eiffel Tower?" she asked, completely taken aback, walking speedily. He shrugged in response to that.

"Well then, that's what we're doing next," she announced.

Even towards the end of the year, the line for the Eiffel Tower was pretty long. They were waiting for forty-five minutes, although Eponine told him she once waited an hour and a half to get to the front of the line. This shocked him; why had she persisted?

"Because I wanted to see Paris from high up. And this is the best way," she told him.

When they finally got to the top and were able to look out over the city they knew so well, Enjolras was speechless. He stayed there, gazing down over Paris for more than ten minutes, trying to get it all in. Eponine couldn't help but feel proud of herself.

"How is it?" she asked him. He laughed a little.

"Incredible," he breathed. His eyes were bright in amazement. She followed his gaze as he looked over his precious France.

"Isn't it?" Eponine grinned widely. Enjolras hardly heard her. His hands gripped the side of the Tower, trying his hardest to see as much as possible.

Eponine watched his blue eyes as they skipped everywhere, darting back and forth, wide open, taking in as much as they could. His awestruck face made him look a lot younger, it overpowered the circles under his eyes from all his late nights, and it was a nice change from the perpetual furrowed brow he seemed to have.

After a while, Eponine pulled him away from the view, they had other things to do. On their way back down, he didn't say a word; he was completely speechless.

When they arrived at the ground, they began walking aimlessly down the street. Eponine buried her hands in her pockets; it was absolutely freezing.

"So what's next on your agenda for your 'get Enjolras to enjoy himself' day?" Enjolras spoke after a few minutes of walking. Eponine was glad he snapped out of his daze.

"Well we need to get inside, 'cause I am freezing. And uh, it's almost lunch time…" Eponine began, trying to get her thoughts out.

"Musain for lunch?" Enjolras suggested. This was a good idea, Eponine had to admit. So she agreed and they went to the Musain.

At the Musain, they met Courfeyrac and Combeferre, who were studying or something. Courfeyrac hadn't struck Eponine as the most studious person, but the two boys were a pleasant surprise. She and Enjolras joined them at their table. Combeferre was a little surprised at seeing the pair together, but Courfeyrac seemed suspiciously _not_ startled.

"Eponine decided I needed a day of 'fun'," Enjolras explained when Combeferre raised an eyebrow at his friend.

"Is it a date?" Courfeyrac asked bluntly. Both Enjolras and Eponine hadn't been expecting that, and both were completely taken aback. They went to defend themselves at the same time.

"What? No, no, no, no. This isn't a date!" Eponine protested.

"Please Courfeyrac, be a little bit more mature! Eponine and I aren't – We're not - !" Enjolras argued at the exact same time.

The pair's joint refusal made Courfeyrac burst into laughter, which caused both of them to blush.

"I swear Courfeyrac, you will be the death of me," Enjolras grumbled at his friend's laughter, which just caused the dark-haired boy to laugh harder.

When Enjolras arrived at the table with lunch for himself and Eponine, Courfeyrac recovered, and the four began a somewhat normal conversation. Eponine asked Courfeyrac how her little brother was getting on, and he assured her that Gavroche was actually doing fine, and she should trust him more.

"We're thinking of trying to get him to go to school, although I don't think he'd take that very well," Courfeyrac informed her. Eponine shook her head furiously at that.

"Oh no, he'd hate that. He may run off again. You could talk to him about it, but don't just send him off," she told him. Courfeyrac nodded, and told her he would.

The conversation drifted off to lighter topics – Grantaire's upcoming birthday, the lack of decent movies in the cinemas, and lastly, Bahorel's track record of fights.

"Seventy-two in three years?" Eponine exclaimed, completely baffled. Enjolras nodded, while Courfeyrac reminisced with Combeferre.

"That's like twenty-five a year! How does one man get into that many brawls?" she asked. Enjolras was almost taken aback by the speedy maths, so Courfeyrac jumped to answer that.

"Well I remember once he came into the Musain and he had the biggest black eye I had ever seen. Do you remember it 'Ferre?" he turned to his friend. Combeferre nodded, almost disprovingly.

"He also had a broken ankle; he didn't get it looked at for two days!" Combeferre continued. Eponine shook her head in disbelief. She turned to Enjolras; if any would confirm this story it would be him. Sure enough, he nodded too.

"We didn't get any work done that day, _they_ were all too busy hearing his story," he muttered. Courfeyrac leaned over and patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Not everyday has to be a serious day, 'Jolras," he joked, and wasn't the slightest bit thrown off when the blond glared at him. Enjolras and Eponine finished off their lunch listening to Combeferre attempt to draw Courfeyrac's attention back to the subject they were studying. Once the two were done, Eponine rose.

"Lovely to see you guys, but we had better head off. Things to do, revolutionaries to entertain," she smiled. Enjolras sensed a slight bit of disdain in the word 'revolutionaries', but he let it be. Eponine grabbed the coat she had shrugged off and put it on as she pulled him out the door.

He followed her, just a few steps behind her as they walked the streets of Paris. He didn't say anything; he was waiting for her to tell him something. Anything. Eventually, she stopped outside a little bookshop. You would have missed it if you hadn't been looking for it, but she saw it. She faced it for a minute, and glanced over at him, grinning widely. There was a chalkboard hanging on the wall, beside a door painted a peeling teal.

"How many loved your moments of glad grace / And loved your beauty with love false or true / But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you / And loved the sorrows of your changing face*," Eponine read aloud, her voice soft and dreamy. Enjolras recognized the verse.

"That's W.B. Yeats," he noted. She nodded enthusiastically.

"They do that here. A different verse of a different poem every day, it's pretty excellent," she told him. She gestured for him to follow her into the bookshop, which he did. It was a lovely little place. It was pretty cramped, and had books filling up every available surface. It had different little rooms with different genres of books, all connected by archways, which were covered in sticky notes, which upon further examination Enjolras realized were book recommendations. Eponine went into a little room labeled 'Poetry', but not before pointing Enjolras to the History section. There, he found the most wonderful collection of books on the history of France he had every seen. After perusing the shelves for what felt like a half hour, he grabbed one, and was about to make his way to the cash desk, when Eponine appeared out of nowhere.

"There's a reading room upstairs. Come on!" she told him giddily, and led him up a rickety staircase to a room lined with plush couches of different shapes and sizes. He and Eponine sat down to read for what felt like hours in the comfort of the 'reading room', until the shopkeeper informed them it was closing time.

* * *

***a verse from 'When you are old' by william butler yeats. it's a favourite poem of mine.**  
**and i acknowledge that while they are in paris the school is basically american high school. forgive me! also, the bookshop is strongly based on the shakespeare and company bookstore in paris, it's a lovely place! hope you liked this chapter you guys, review, if you'd like!**


	7. In which enjolras gets coffee

**A/N: Here's the new chapter you guys! It's a little shorter than I would have liked but anyway. Thanks for reading, please review!**

* * *

When Enjolras arrived home, he did in fact feel calmer. Maybe a day of 'fun' with Eponine had done him good, though he would never tell her. He closed the door behind him and was surprised to see his mother a few feet from him. Enjolras was hardly ever home nowadays, and his parents barely saw him, which meant he barely saw them, which worked out well for both parties involved.

"Enjolras!" his mother exclaimed, totally surprised. It was almost funny, Enjolras realized, that his even his mother addressed him by his last name now, when she had been the one who objected to it the most.

"You're home early," she observed, putting her coat on. He nodded.

"I'm going to be leaving again shortly, so," he answered, and began to make his way upstairs.

"Enjolras!" his mother called after him, and he had to lean his head over the banister to see what she wanted him for. "Where were you?"

"Out with a friend," he replied. He had disappeared up the rest of the stairs before his mother could respond, so he missed her reaction. It was the first time he had said anything besides 'studying' to his mother. He might not have thought much of it, but his mother did.

"'Ponine!" Azelma greeted her sister when she came through the door. Azelma's somewhat sunny disposition meant that no-one was home; which was just as well. Eponine was not capable for her father.

"Hey 'Zelma," Eponine smiled. She felt glad to pull off her coat and other layers, even though they had been necessary outside.

"How was your day?" Azelma asked, going to make herself a drink or something. Eponine smiled.

"It was good. I think I convinced him to actually enjoy himself," Eponine said, proud of herself. Azelma raised an eyebrow at her, and once Eponine got what she was implying, she whacked her sister with a scarf.

"God, 'Zelma," she sighed, before going over to the couch and curling up in the threadbare cushions. Azelma came over and joined her, apologetic.

"So what's going on in your life, baby sister?" Eponine asked, and then Azelma began to tell her all about this guy at school, the usual 'he doesn't know I exist _but_' story that had been frequent with Azelma. Eponine loved being a big sister.

The lonely, old-fashioned lamp in the park had become Eponine and Enjolras' unofficial meeting place. Whoever got there first would wait for the other, and they'd walk in together. When it rained, Enjolras would bring an umbrella, always the red one, and the already-drenched Eponine would steal most of it from him.

When Enjolras had first begun waiting for Eponine, she had been a little shocked. Marius never waited for her, and to see that someone wanted to hang out with her; well that was unusual. But eventually, she took it in her stride, and began waiting for him too.

But the Monday following Eponine and Enjolras' 'fun day out', Eponine was incredibly surprised when Enjolras showed up, not only late, but carrying two cups of coffee.

"What the hell Enjolras?" she laughed as he held one out to her.

"There was a guy selling them on the way here. It's black," he offered, although he did feel pretty ridiculous. She took it gladly, and grinned at the warmth. They both took a first sip together, and were both shocked.

"It's amazing!" Eponine exclaimed, staring at the coffee in wonder. Enjolras nodded, and continued to drink it, even though it was scalding hot. They walked in silence then, both drinking the great street-coffee.

Even when they had both finished the coffee, neither of them uttered a word. They had established a comfortable silence, and neither of them was quite willing to break that just yet. But when they arrived at the school, and were surrounded by the buzz of activity and other kids, their silence was unwillingly broken. Eponine gave Enjolras her usual and quick wave, and ran to her locker, like she did every day. Enjolras didn't notice he hadn't made a move to go to his own locker until Courfeyrac appeared beside him, swinging his arm around the blonde boy's shoulder.

"Any reason you're staring into space, 'Jolras?" Courfeyrac asked him teasingly. Enjolras shrugged, in turn nudging Courfeyrac's arm off his shoulder. He then began walking to his locker, and Courfeyrac sighed.

"It's unlike you, s'all," his friend said in response his somewhat grumpy attitude to the previous comment. Enjolras shrugged again at that, which again was very unlike the blonde. Courfeyrac decided to move on from that subject.

"So, with the LGBTQ thing you're working on… How's that coming along?" he asked. Enjolras, clearly glad at the change of subject, lit up.

"Well I don't think we're going to make a proper statement unless we get the support of the smothered LGBTQ community in our school," he began. "I think we'll need to get either written stories or videos of students talking about the school's prejudice. What do you think?"

Courfeyrac was about to respond when the bell for class went, and Enjolras waved and walked away, as he had to split up to go to class. Monday morning, one did not want to be late for Monday morning classes, as teachers were the grumpiest they could be and handed out detentions like school council students handed out flyers.

At lunch, everyone was relieved to have almost finished the day's classes. Eponine sat between Enjolras and Grantaire, and was talking to Grantaire about some art program he was looking into. The groups animated chatting filled Eponine's ears around her, even if she couldn't hear what people were saying, the buzz of her friends just warmed her up inside. Marius had brought Cosette to sit with them, and Eponine managed to stop herself from glaring at them every ten seconds.

A while into the meal, Enjolras cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. Everyone stopped their conversations pretty soon after the gesture, and they turned their attention to him.

"So, you all know about my LGBTQ project," he started. The group laughed a little, they _all_ knew about Enjolras' project, if he wasn't working on it at the Musain or in school, he was enthusing about it. "I think I figured out how to get it to make an impact. We can't just have our group debating our point, when only two-elevenths of us are queer, and those two-elevenths only represents one queer identity too. We're going to have to get other LGBTQ students that have been forced into the closet to rally behind our cause, to help us out. How about that?"

The group all exchanged looks, mostly agreeing with the point. They all murmured agreement, but Eponine spoke up.

"How are we going to find these 'forced into the closet' LGBTQs? I mean, this school is awful for oppressing these kids, that hardly anyone knows anyone who actually out. We can follow rumors and stuff, but we can't forcibly out people if they don't want to be outed," she said. Enjolras nodded, taking in what she said.

"I guess all we can do is hope they'll be okay with coming out," Jehan inserted. Enjolras pursed his lips slightly, and shook his head.

"I don't think that's good enough," he muttered. Before the conversation could continue any further, the bell for the rest of the classes went, and everyone groaned over Enjolras' thoughts. They all rose from the table, leaving any further discussion in the dust.

When school was over, and Enjolras went to his locker to put away his unneeded books, he was surprised to see Eponine waiting there. She smirked when she saw his face.

"Since we walk to school together, I figured we might as well walk some of the way home together," she explained, without the embarrassed expression Enjolras would have had if he had been the one to suggest that. He laughed a little, and just as soon as he put his books away, they began to walk towards the park. He never told her that the park was actually a little out of this way, because why would he? It wasn't as if he walked through the park especially for her (well, originally. Now he wasn't so sure).

Their conversation turned to books almost five minutes into the walk. Eponine asked Enjolras if he read anything besides history books and 'boring research stuff' as she called it, and he replied with a definite yes.

"I love _To Kill A Mockingbird_," he told her. "I'm sure I've told you that before,"

Enjolras was right, he had, but Eponine refused to remember it, maybe just to spite him. They talked about every aspect of books; the smell of bookshops, the feeling when you bend a book's spine (Enjolras thought it ruined the book, but Eponine felt it made the book easier to read), and the sensation when you spend hours in a bookshop, just _looking_ at books. They debated pros and cons of e-readers, and before they noticed, they were at their lamppost but hadn't split up.

They weren't aware of someone leaning against a tree several metres away from them. The tree was in a particular thicket of trees that they couldn't be sighted unless one was looking for them, but they could see everything. If Eponine and Enjolras knew they were being watched by someone in a top hat, they may have decided to go their separate ways. But they didn't know, and a playful smile flickered across Montparnasse's lips as he watched Eponine wave her hands to emphasize her point. _Monsieur_ Thenardier would love to hear about this.

When Eponine arrived home, she was more than surprised to see her mother sweeping the floor. After Gavroche left, gave up on a lot of things, and Eponine took up the chore of cleaning the floor, as it wasn't going to get done otherwise (she had a suspicion that Azelma would just have let the dirt gather).

"Mom," Eponine said warily, taking off her jacket.

"Eponine," her mother replied, in a monotone voice that didn't really allow for the conversation to bloom. Eponine took her backpack into her room and started onto her homework.

When the time came for Eponine to leave for the Musain, her father had been home a half hour. And from the sounds that came from outside her bedroom door, Eponine didn't fancy her chances at being left alone if she walked out the front door. She knocked on her wall, a signal she and Azelma had thought up to let the other girl know she was sneaking out. The routine of pulling open the window and clambering down the fire escape came to her almost on autopilot, and before even thinking about it she was on her way to the Musain. She cursed herself for having taken off her coat in the living room, as she was left with nothing but a hoodie to keep her warm on her journey.

The hot air that welcomed her when she opened up the doors into the Musain brought a blush to Eponine's cheeks, and she was more than grateful. She ordered a coffee, before taking a seat beside Marius and Grantaire and telling the darker brunette of her woes.

"Poor, frozen Ep," Bahorel teased, upon overhearing Eponine's grumbling. She whacked him with her hat, for the comment and for calling her 'Ep'. She really hated that nickname. Before Bahorel could retaliate, Enjolras clapped his hands.

"Today, guys, I think we need to talk about ways to inspire the people, to get them to rally behind our cause and help us, in a way that no-one is unwillingly outed," Enjolras glanced at Eponine at the last line. She nodded approvingly.

"So," Enjolras looked around at his friends as he spoke. "Any ideas?"

They worked for almost an hour, Combeferre taking notes of everyone's ideas and Enjolras dismissing any ridiculous ones ("Grantaire, do you honestly think yelling 'If you like it up the ass, rally with your class' is a halfway decent idea?").

Marius suggested posters, which Enjolras said didn't make enough of a statement. Plus, those could be taken down easily.

Jehan proposed a petition, going around asking students to sign if they were queer and if they didn't mind being outed, but Enjolras decided some people who weren't queer may be offended by that question.

Bahorel suggested hijacking the school's announcement system to tell the school of their plan, which Enjolras said wasn't actually a bad idea, except their group didn't possess the talents to do that.

As they were nearing the end of their conversation, Eponine grabbed everyone's attention.

"I think, um, to get the citizens of our school to support this movement, we need a sign. Something that gets the idea into the populace's head that hey, something's not right here," she orated. The silence that followed her speech showed that she had stuck a chord in the group. Enjolras, naturally, was the one who broke the silence.

"And do you have an idea what the sign could be?" he asked, trying to get into a discussion on that subject, but Eponine just shrugged. After a few minutes of silence, the group wordlessly decided that the work part of the evening was over, and they broke into their own conversations.

Although Grantaire had been good at staying sober recently, he had slipped a vodka in with him, and he was soon intoxicated and fast asleep on the table beside Eponine. Her primary conversation partner unavailable, Eponine turned to Marius, who was talking with Enjolras. The boys were discussing Napoleon, so it seemed.

"Napoleon was a conqueror, Marius. How could he have been a decent leader?" Enjolras argued.

"Napoleon accomplished a lot in his reign, if you've forgotten," Marius retorted, in a tone that made Eponine decide she should step in before the conversation got hairy.

"Guys, guys!" she said calmly. "Napoleon is dead. Why argue about him?"

Marius looked thankful for her intervention (a debate with Enjolras could leave the most skilled orator in the dust), but Enjolras looked a little annoyed she had stopped him from sweeping the floor with Marius. Eponine took the conversation on a new path, asking Marius about his grandfather. Marius told her, and Enjolras, bored with this conversation, went back to studying.

At the end of the evening, it was just Eponine, Enjolras and Bahorel left. Usually Bahorel left first, as he had other commitments in other cafés but he and Eponine were discussing the smuggling of drugs so he stayed.

"I should really get going," Eponine said finally, checking the time. She rose from the table, and looked outside in slight fear.

"I'd offer you a jacket, but…" Bahorel shrugged his nearly-bare shoulders. It seemed like he didn't feel the cold, so he had no need for a jacket.

"It's fine," Eponine sighed as she began to make her way to the door. She was stopped halfway by Enjolras. He had stood up and was taking off his red hoodie.

"Take mine," he offered. She grinned widely, and pulled Enjolras' huge hoodie over her head. The fact she was wearing two hoodies felt slightly awkward and she tugged at her outfit to make it comfortable, but she was going to be warm.

"Thanks, 'Jolras," she grinned, waving as she headed out the door. Neither she or Enjolras saw the smug look on Bahorel's face as she left. When Enjolras sat down, Bahorel's phone was out and updating the group on what just happened.

Courfeyrac's greeting the following day completely took Enjolras by surprise.

"Are you and Ep going out?" the dark-haired boy asked. Enjolras stared at his friend for a minute, open-mouthed, speechless.

"One; she hates the nickname Ep, and two; no. Not in the slightest," Enjolras replied after he regained his composure. Courfeyrac smirked.

"Whatever you say Chief," he said cheekily. Before Enjolras could scold him, Combeferre arrived.

"Did you hear about M. Lamarque?" Combeferre asked his friends. They shook their heads.

"Huge uproar going down. I think Javert was absolutely vilifying a lesbian couple for holding hands in the hallway, and Lamarque overheard him or something. Lamarque started yelling at Javert, apparently and threatened to quit. He didn't quit, but imagine if he did,"

The same thought ran through Enjolras' head as Combeferre expected would.

"We need him to support our cause," the curly blonde announce. Combeferre nodded agreement.

"We'll try to enlist him ASAP," Combeferre began, but the bell went. "Which will be after class. C'mon!"

The two boys waved at Courfeyrac and walked to class. They ran into Eponine just as they walked through the door, who smiled gratefully at them. Enjolras noticed Cosette was chatting animatedly beside her, to which Eponine wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to. When Enjolras and Combeferre sat down, Eponine sat beside them, between Combeferre and the wall, leaving Cosette at a loose end.

"Don't you think you're being a bit harsh on her?" Combeferre said to Eponine once Cosette was out of earshot.

"How do you mean? Why would I be harsh on her?" Eponine replied innocently. Combeferre was about to reply when entered the room. A few minutes later, Eponine received a note from Combeferre that read 'B/c you're in love w/ her boyfriend…'.

Eponine was more than embarrassed at Combeferre's neat accusation. She could feel his eyes on her as she went to scribble a reply, stating that she was _not _in love with Marius, thank you very much. She put the pen to the paper but somehow couldn't get herself to write the lie. She crumpled up the note and shoved it in her pocket, and rolled her eyes at the smug smile on Combeferre's face.

"I am _not,_ nor have I ever been, in love with Marius Pontmercy," she hissed at him. Combeferre smiled knowingly, and she had to hold herself back from hitting him.

After class, Eponine didn't wait for her friends like she did normally; she scooped her books off her desk and into her back in record time, and was out the door in a flash.

"What did you do to upset her?" Enjolras asked Combeferre, as they packed their bags at a normal speed. Combeferre bit his lip.

"I said she was in love with Marius," Combeferre admitted. At Enjolras' shocked look, the boy held up his hands.

"Well she _is_," he surrendered. Enjolras fell silent. He had never noticed Eponine having any sort of feelings other than friendship for Marius. It really showed how bad Enjolras was at picking up on people's behaviour.

Later, at lunch, Combeferre warned his friends of the potential bad mood he put Eponine in. When Marius asked what he had said to her, Combeferre panicked, but _Enjolras_ of all people swooped in.

"Just something about her hair. No huge deal," Enjolras covered. Everyone else at the table didn't take this as a decent reason for Eponine to be mad; Eponine wasn't the type of girl to care all that much about her hair. But Marius accepted it, which really reflected more on his relationship with Eponine than anything else. Eponine joined their table minutes later.

"Speak of the devil," Bahorel murmured to Feuilly as she sat down. Eponine's eyes narrowed as she heard that and she stared down Bahorel.

"What did you say?" she asked menacingly. Bahorel gulped, and looked around the table for help.

"Nothin' Ep. Don't worry," he said, and immediately winced when he realised what he'd called her. Feuilly could feel the tension in his friend, so he changed the subject.

"So, uh, Joly! How's your girlfriend?" the fan-maker asked. Joly was about to answer when a grumble came from Bossuet.

"Well she's not specifically _his_ girlfriend," the bald muttered. Joly scowled at his friend, before returning his attention to Feuilly's question.

"Musichetta is excellent," Joly answered. At the mention of the name Musichetta, Eponine's eyes flickered over to Enjolras. Wasn't that the name of the girl in Starbucks? Enjolras clearly recognised the name too, as he glanced over at her too. Eponine widened her eyes and Enjolras shrugged. A wordless conversation.

"But yeah, as Bossuet said, she's not specifically _my_ girlfriend. She's dating both of us," Joly continued, oblivious of Enjolras and Eponine's recognition of the name.

"'Chetta can't be tied down," Bossuet added wistfully. Eponine, along with a few others, was visibly surprised by the boys' relationship with the same girl.

"Wouldn't it get competitive?" Grantaire asked, surprising anyone who had assumed he hadn't been paying attention. Joly shrugged.

"You'd think it would, but no, it's doesn't,"

Eponine wondered how that worked. How two people who knew each other could date the same person and not get annoyed. She posed the question to Enjolras later that day when they were walking through the park. Enjolras, who wasn't the best at this subject, shrugged.

"I think Jehan or Courfeyrac would be better equipped to answer that question," he said truthfully. "But, if it matters to you, Bossuet and Joly have been friends for as long as I can remember, and Courfeyrac is always saying that those two are practically a couple, minus all the romantic stuff. I think it may just be a hard concept to grasp that maybe, just maybe, three people could love each other just as much and as easily as two,"

They continued on in silence after that. Eponine was taken aback by Enjolras' wisdom, and Enjolras was wondering what corner of his mind that came from. It was more romantic then he ever imagined his mind could go.

"You have a point, Enjolras," she told him just as she reached the lamppost that signified their seperation.

"I do more than often, believe it or not," he replied, before walking his own way. The witty comment left Eponine speechless for a minute, and she just stood staring after him, smirking a little. How she was beginning to rub off on him.

When Eponine arrived home, her father was already on the couch, snoring drunkenly. His sleeping and drinking patterns baffled her. Azelma was seated across from him, reading a book. When the younger girl saw Eponine, she put her finger to her lips, and then pointed at their father. Eponine nodded and rolled her eyes; as if she hadn't seen their father. She tiptoed the rest of the way to her room, taking off her coat. She locked her bedroom door behind her and got started on her homework. She winced at her father's snores echoing through the walls, shaking the room. She wondered why Azelma opted to stay out their with him, the stink of booze infiltrating her senses. The very thought made Eponine quiver.

She worked in silence for a minute, and began hearing the pattering of raindrops along with her father's snores. She looked out her window, at the ugly view of the street and the fire escape and the rain. It had only been raining for seconds and already her window was painted in raindrops. Her thoughts returned to the drunken man in the room beside her, and she sighed. Her thinking was interrupted by the buzz of her phone, a text from Enjolras, informing her that he had an idea for her 'sign'. She smiled at the message. How much her life had changed recently, with her own friends, and how the sound of a drunk man snoring didn't terrify her anymore. She crossed her fingers, praying that didn't change.

* * *

**Alright, so thank you! I know this chapter was a bit of a filler but hey. So, uh, please review!**


	8. In which montparnasse is in an alley

**A/N: Okay, well, here's the new chapter! Hope you enjoy it!**

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Everyone came to the Musain on time, as Enjolras had asked. The little café was filled with the usual people, Bahorel, Combeferre, Jehan, Courfeyrac, Feuilly, Bossuet, Eponine, Joly, Grantaire, and of course, Enjolras. Marius had come too, and had brought Cosette. She had taken an interest in their cause after Marius had told her about it, Marius told Eponine. Eponine had to take her jacket off minutes after ending the café, which was hotter than usual, due to the amount of coffees and people in the room. One could tell from the atmosphere that they were all excited, that they were all buzzing with curiosity as to what Enjolras' big idea was. This excitement meant that when he stood up and called their attention, they didn't take long to stop talking and listen.

"So, Eponine said we need a sign, a signal. She couldn't be more right, and I figured out what our sign is," he addressed them. Eleven people hung on his words. "Lamarque. You guys probably heard about his outburst today; he's the only teacher who supports the same cause we do. But realistically, he's not going to stick around. Judging from what happened today, there is no way he could stand to stand by and let Javert dictate people's sexuality. So, either he quits, or he's fired. And I think that's when we strike,"

Enjolras regarded his friends after he finished talking. They were all taking in what he said carefully, each thinking it over in their heads. He had to surpress a smile when he saw approving looks on their faces.

"What if he doesn't quit, or Javert doesn't fire him? What then?" Eponine asked. She was more asking just to test his theory, anyone could see that, and Enjolras accepted the challenge willingly.

"Do you have Lamarque for any classes, Eponine?" Enjolras began, a cunning look shimmering in his eyes. The dark haired girl shook her head.

"I do, and so does Joly. Joly, could you explain to Eponine what happens when someone challenges M. Lamarque?"

Enjolras shot a glance at Joly, who picked up where his friend left off almost immediately.

"I remember one time," Joly started. "Some kid tried to argue some point against Lamarque. He teaches us philosophy, and I can't remember exactly what the kid was saying, but during that lesson he was just arguing with everything Lamarque said. And uh, towards the end of class, Lamarque snapped and gave ten or more points as to why he was right and gave the kid detention,"

"That's just an example of Lamarque's stubbornness, for one," Enjolras added. Eponine nodded, still not thoroughly convinced, but they had no other choice.

"How long do you think it'll take for him to snap?" Bossuet inquired, taking the conversation on a different path. It was Combeferre who replied to that.

"Not long. This guy is too strong-willed to let go. End of the week, at most," the blonde in glasses answered.

"So for now, we wait. And when we do need to strike, maybe we could use Bahorel's idea of hijacking the school announcement system. We might not have the skills for it, but we'll have to get support from someone who does," Enjolras continued. Bahorel cheered slightly at his idea being used. Enjolras sat back down, the unspoken sign of the work part of the evening being over. The work part of the evenings had been getting shorter and shorter, but that made more time to socialize and chat.

Eponine was talking to Enjolras, who she was sitting next to. They were debating over the symbolism of Boo Radley in _To Kill a Mockingbird._ Eponine could see Cosette out of the corner of her eye. The blonde girl was talking to Jehan, who in turn was plaiting her hair. Eponine had almost bristled at Cosette's welcome into their group, but it didn't bother her as she felt it should.

Enjolras and Eponine's debate was interrupted by Marius tapping Eponine on the shoulder.

"Hey, Ep," Marius said to her. She nodded at him, waiting for him to ask her for something. And sure enough, he did. "I have to go home and I wanted to walk Cosette home, but she wants to stay here, so I was wondering… Would you mind walking her home for me? I know you'll be okay,"

"Uh, yeah. Okay," Eponine replied. "Don't worry about it, you know Eponine; she knows her way around,"

Marius smiled thankfully and patted his friend on the shoulder. Enjolras and Courfeyrac beside him, didn't miss the dejected look on Eponine's face once Marius left, replacing the teasing smile that had been there. Courfeyrac leaned over in front on Enjolras, his face close to Eponine's.

"'Ponine, you have to get over him," Courfeyrac whispered. Eponine didn't have the will to deny it this time. How Courfeyrac knew, she had no idea, but she guessed Combeferre told him. She hung her head slightly.

"I know," she muttered. Courfeyrac planted a brotherly kiss on her forehead.

"I'll bring Gavroche by the Musain soon, okay?" Courfeyrac told her, knowing that would cheer her up. She put on a smile for him, and nearly meant it. Courfeyrac returned to a conversation with his boyfriend and the blonde girl. Enjolras and Eponine sat in silence for a minute, Eponine slightly too ashamed to speak. What must Enjolras think of little lovelorn Eponine? Enjolras; who wouldn't know if a girl was into him if she told him so. Enjolras; too noble and focused to bother with girls. But something clicked in Eponine's head. She was more than 'little lovelorn Eponine'. She was smart, she was fierce, she was strong. She was a _Thenardier_, for Christ sakes. And Enjolras, as her best friend knew that. She didn't need to be ashamed around her best friend.

"Eponine? Are you, um, are you okay?" Enjolras finally asked. She could see an awkwardness in Enjolras as he spoke; it wasn't in his character to ask about her feelings. She nodded, a true smile on her face.

"Yeah, I'm good. So, where we we?"

Enjolras smiled at her resolve, and they proceeded to debate.

Eponine decided it was time to go home hours later. After a yawn, she tapped Cosette on the shoulder and informed her of the blonde's boyfriend's plans. Cosette smiled sweetly at her boyfriend's caring nature, and went to put on her coat.

"Bye guys," Eponine waved, stepping out the door of the hot Musain and out onto the cold street. She tugged on her jacket; the threadbare anorak that had kept her warm for so many years was growing too small and too thin. She snuck an envious glance over at Cosette's brand new, furry coat. The two girls stood awkwardly outside the Musain, Eponine in deep thought, before she realised she should probably keep her promise to Marius.

"So uh, where do you live?"

Cosette led the way to the street she said she lived on. Rue Plumet, she told her. Eponine figured that made sense, that was the way she and Marius would walk on their way back from the Musain; which would explain how he saw his angel.

They walked in silence. Eponine kept a firm gaze on the ground, sentences unsaid swarming her mind, memories attacking her conscience, apologies worth saying pestering her. She couldn't feel Cosette's discomfort beside her; how could she? She was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to think about the girl next to her. But eventually, Cosette broke the silence.

"I, uh… I get the sense you don't like me very much," the fair girl said softly. Eponine opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't get words to come out. She couldn't deny what Cosette was saying, but it felt mean to outright tell someone you didn't like them.

"And I was trying to figure out why, and one of my ideas was that… Nevermind," Cosette halted in her speech, blushing. Eponine cast her eyes over at the girl beside her, and sighed.

"No, go on," she encouraged. Cosette looked surprised Eponine was listening, but did as told.

"I thought that maybe you… Okay, this might sound weird but – did you have a girl staying with you, growing up? Blonde, shrimpy? Sang a lot?"

Eponine's eyes widened in shock. No. No way did Cosette remember who she was. She nodded warily, her stomach dropping slowly every second.

"That was me," Cosette stated, her voice gentle. Eponine feigned surprise.

"You're the lark who lived with us? C-cosette - I…" Eponine stuttered. She wanted to apologize. She knew that she had been an awful kid, she knew that. With all her heart she wanted to make up for the horrible person she had been, but she couldn't get the words out.

"I am. I had forgotten you used to call me Lark," Cosette replied over Eponine's stammaring. Eponine looked for any sign of resentment in the girl beside her, but saw none. The girl's golden hair framed her face that had the same expression it nearly always did, kind. It gave Eponine strength.

"Cosette, I am so sorry. I was terrible to you as a kid. Do you think you could forgive me?"

Eponine let out a sigh of relief when Cosette nodded. Uncharacteristically, she threw her arms around Cosette's neck in thanks. When she pulled back, it was like half of her dislike for the angelic girl was gone. It was as if half the reason she didn't like her was because of her guilt. That would make sense, Eponine concluded.

Despite this, as they walked beside each other, Eponine decided that she wasn't quite ready to stop disliking Cosette as Marius' girlfriend. She could try repair the damage between them, and she would mend as much of that bridge as she could, but Marius stood as a gigantic obstacle in that mission.

But walking next to Cosette, who was talking about her dorky dad's father's day traditions, Eponine remembered her conversation with Courfeyrac, who had insisted she move on from Marius. Maybe befriending his girlfriend was a good way to do that. Eponine figured she'd just have to wait and see.

"He makes a big deal of it. He's kind of weird, it's _father's day,_ so y'know, it's his day, but he insists on making it about the two of us, like a father-daughter day. It's really cute, and it was a lot of fun when I was smaller, but at some age being woken up at nine to make pancakes loses it's novelty," Cosette said. Eponine couldn't help but find the story absolutely wonderful; she remembered how her father used to treat her when she was smaller. Like a princess, she remembered. Now Cosette was the one getting the fairytale treatment.

"I wish my dad did that with me," Eponine replied truthfully. Cosette stopped talking when she said that. She couldn't blame the blonde girl, really. She figured Cosette's last memory of Eponine and her father's relationship was the one Eponine pined for, when her father told her he loved her every day and surprised her with presents after work.

"Not so fun," Cosette said finally. Eponine laughed slightly bitterly.

"Yeah,"

Eponine moved the conversation on after that; she didn't want to dwell on the fact that after years of torment, Cosette ended up having it better that Eponine. Eponine told Cosette in further detail about Enjolras' plan; it turned out that Marius had only told her a bare minimum. Cosette was buzzing with questions; how could she help? What were they going to do if they got supporters? Eponine was happy to act as a makeshift Enjolras, it gave her pride. Eventually, though, the two girls arrived outside Cosette's house.

Walking away from Rue Plumet, Eponine felt warmer inside. She had made amends with Cosette, and she had another girl to talk to besides Azelma. And it was another building block on her 'get over Marius' wall.

After Eponine had left with Cosette, Courfeyrac turned to Enjolras. There was only three of them there; Courfeyrac, Enjolras and Combeferre.

"I'm proud of her," the dark-haired boy said, looking out the door after their friend. Enjolras nodded. The blonde's eyes followed Courfeyrac's gaze but didn't leave them linger for too long.

"Me too," he murmured, before returning to his book. It was a tiresome read, a heavy book Enjolras claimed helped him in History. He took a sip of his black coffee and tried to concentrate on the pages. His concentration was soon broken when Combeferre tapped him on the shoulder.

"I'd say you should ease up on the caffeine, Chief. It's getting late," he said, concerned. Enjolras didn't respond for a moment, thinking about the nickname 'Chief'. His friends only called him that occasionally, and although it sounded like a nickname that commanded respect, they only used it teasingly or affectionately.

"'Ferre, you act like a mother," Enjolras replied, taking a large sip of the dark drink, just to prove a point. Combeferre was like a mother, Enjolras decided. He helped Enjolras carry Grantaire home when it was just the three of them left in the Musain, and he calmed Joly down when the hypochondriac was convinced he had come down with a life-threatening disease.

Combeferre shrugged, neither denying or confirming the statement. He ruffled Enjolras' hair and when the would-be revolutionary looked up at him to glare Combeferre swiped the book from the table. Enjolras opened his mouth to protest but Combeferre was already out the door of the Musain, book in hand. A faint goodbye came from the door, but the Musain was once again silent. Enjolras considered taking out his copy of _Of Mice and Men_ by John Steinbeck, but figured his friend has been right. It _was_ getting late, so it was about time he went home. He said goodbye to Courfeyrac, and left the Musain.

It was darker and later than usual, he found. The streets were silent, no noise but Enjolras' feet on the footpath and the occasional flickering street lamp. He was taking in the peace, the quiet, when he heard a clattering come from an alleyway ahead of him. The alleyway was on his way home, and there was no way for him to avoid whatever (or whoever) have made the ruckus, so he just kept walking.

As he walked past the sidestreet, he cut his eyes sideways to check for some sign of what had happened, but saw nothing but shadows. He was going to carry on walking when he heard a familiar name whispered in the alley.

"Thenardier," came the whisper from the shadows. Enjolras jolted when he heard the name, and stopped walking. He pressed himself against the wall of one of the buildings next to the alley, and listened.

"Do you think I'm afraid of that old man?" a gruff voice hissed.

"I think you forget who exactly it is you're talking about," came another voice. This voice was softer, younger sounding, but menacing. "This 'old man', as you call him, is one of the leaders of the crime organisation I belong to. You belonged to it too, last time I checked,"

"He may be the leader, but he's not the man he used to be. He hasn't been the man he used to be for a while now," the gruff voice retorted.

"Do I need to remind you about - " the younger voice dropped to a quieter tone, and Enjolras couldn't hear what he said. Enjolras could not be confused. It sounded like he had stumbled upon a serious conversation between two very dangerous people; or at least, people who knew dangerous people.

"Listen, Montparnasse, I know you look up to Thenardier, but you can't be serious if you think staying by him right now is the best plan," the husky voice scolded. Enjolras' ears perked at the mention of Thenardier. Could they be talking about Eponine's father?

"And _you_ can't be serious if you think taking out the exact person he ordered you not to is a good idea. Thenardier may be losing his touch, but he'd never stoop that low," the gentler voice, Montparnasse, replied.

"You just say that because you're in love with his daughter," the older voice spat. Enjolras heard Montparnasse shove the other man against the wall. He knew he should probably leave and forget the entire encounter, but something within him needed to know if this Thenardier was related to Eponine.

"Don't pretend to deny it," the man who wasn't Montparnasse wheezed, a little laugh escaping from him.

"My loyalty to Thenardier… This little exchange we're having here? It all has _nothing_ to do with Eppie," Montparnasse insisted, and Enjolras heard Montparnasse's fist connect with the other man. He had to bite down on his lip to stop himself from gasping at the mention of his friend's name. Enjolras took the chance and peered into the alley, and the shadows rustled. No sound came from the dark backstreet, which made it seem increasingly menacing. Enjolras decided it was time he went home, so he scarpered away from the scene faster than he thought he could.

On the walk to school the following day, all Enjolras could hear in his head was 'you're in love with his daughter' and 'it all has nothing to do with Eppie' over and over again. When Eponine greeted him, he tried to start a normal conversation with her but all he could think about was who her father was. It brought his mind back to a revelation he had a few weeks before, when he found out the part of town Eponine lived in. He began to worry about her family life, and what it was like growing up with the leader of some crime gang as a father.

And _Montparnasse_… One of the men had claimed that he was in love with her… Did Eponine even know who he was?

"Eponine, do you know someone called Montparnasse?" he blurted out, interrupting her as she was telling him about some book – he hadn't been listening. Her words cut suddenly, and she let out a shallow breath before speaking.

"Uh, yeah, I do. He's an ex-boyfriend. Didn't end well, I'm afraid," she admitted. Her eyes flicked over to Enjolras, studying his features. She saw his throat contract as if he was swallowing something, as if he was swallowing down what she had said. His blue eyes seemed to turn a steely grey in seconds, a storm in his eyes. He exhaled, and his eyes returned to their blue and he looked to the ground. Eponine didn't know whether or not to ask him how he knew about Montparnasse, but she decided against it. She wasn't even sure she wanted to know. She looked for any telltale bruises that would show if Enjolras had had a run-in with tophat wearing boy, but there was none. She couldn't help but let out a short sigh of relief at that.

"What do we do until Lamarque calls it quits?" Eponine changed the subject. Enjolras looked relieved at the change in topic, something in his expression told Eponine that he didn't want to dwell too much on her ex-boyfriend.

"I guess we just talk about it; get other students aware of the problem without getting them properly involved. Just talking about Lamarque will stir something in the population, I can tell," Enjolras replied, with the spark in his eye that always surfaced when he spoke of these things. Eponine grinned widely at her friend, assuring him that the task shouldn't be too difficult.

Once they reached the school, Enjolras meant to go tell Combeferre what he had heard the night before, but he couldn't find his blonde friend before the bell for classes rang. He sat in Chemistry between Bahorel and Joly and told them of the same plans he had told Eponine, and the pair grinned in agreement. The three began to talk of Lamarque's efforts loudly.

"It's ridiculous," Bahorel said, leaning back in his seat purposefully, his head angled slightly at the people behind them. "Lamarque's in the right, Javert can't actually be so mad he'd fire him,"

Enjolras shrugged, seated almost backwards in his seat, his head almost on the person in front of him's shoulder.

"I don't know, Javert gets pretty angry about this kind of thing," he replied.

"It's not Lamarque getting fired I'm concerned about – it's him quitting," Joly took similar actions to his friends, speaking loudly, almost in the person beside him's ear. "He's too stubborn to give Javert the satisfaction of firing him. I reckon he'd sooner quit than give that old bat the pleasure,"

The people behind them picked up on what they were saying first.

"What's this about Lamarque getting fired?" a guy seated behind Enjolras asked, leaning forward.

"You haven't heard?" Bahorel asked, turning himself to face the boy. "Javert's getting pissed at Lamarque for all this LGBTQ rights stuff he's defending. Lamarque's just doing the right thing, helping out students the old principal's discriminating against, but Javert is just getting really angry,"

"We reckon it's only a matter of time before Lamarque leaves the staff, we're just waiting to find out how," Joly added. The few people who had been listening to them all dropped their jaws.

"You can't seriously think they're going to fire Lamarque – he's an amazing teacher!" one of the girls listening to them argued. Joly shrugged.

"Then he'll quit. Clearly you haven't been in trouble enough with Javert anyway. When he gets angry, it's like he loses all reason he had. He won't see Lamarque the great teacher who just has a difference of opinion, he'll see Lamarque the rebel," Joly explained. He was going to continue when M. Mabeuf entered the classroom, signifying the end of the time for speculation.

A similar scene was going on in Eponine and Bossuet's Geography class. The two were at the front of the classroom, and were sitting up on their desks. The height, Bossuet had claimed, made more people aware of them and therefore their conversation. It was proving a correct theory so far.

"Lamarque wouldn't _quit_, Bossuet," Eponine said, eyeing people a few desks away taking notice of her.

"He's too stong-willed to let Javert talk him into backing down on the cause, he'd rather quit then let that happen," Bossuet insisted, speaking louder than she had been.

"Do you think Javert'd fire him? If push came to shove, I mean," Eponine asked, copying her friend. Just as they'd hoped, a girl at the desk behind Eponine interrupted their conversation.

"Are you guys talking about Javert and Lamarque? _I_ heard Lamarque was already clearing his desk," the girl said. A couple of desks away from her, another girl spoke.

"No way! Lamarque wouldn't _leave_, would he?" the other girl gasped. Eponine and Bossuet shrugged, but before either of them could reply a voice rang from the door.

"Lesgle! Thenardier! Get _off_ your desks this instant!" the voice of their teacher, Mme. Dubois, scolded. They hopped off their desks and onto their chairs immediately, their cheeks flushing. Mme. Dubois led them in a usual and boring Geography class, but Eponine could hear people around them buzzing with talk about Lamarque and Javert's conflict. When they left the classroom, after Bossuet tripped out the door, Eponine heard someone say 'Did you hear about Lamarque?'. Enjolras' plan was working perfectly.

The group carried on like this until the end of the week. In the few days they had left, they each heard different rumours about Lamarque already having been fired or having quit, but Enjolras shut these rumours down each time he returned from Philosophy class led by the man. In one of the classes, a student actually had the nerve to ask if the man intended on leaving, to which the teacher gave no direct yes, but no direct no to either. By this response, Enjolras knew they only had days remaining.

The long awaited moment arrived on the following Wednesday. Enjolras and Eponine were strolling into the school, each clutching a coffee from the little cart Enjolras had bought them from previously, when Combeferre and Courfeyrac came running to them.

"Come quickly, Javert and Lamarque are going at it in the hall!" Combeferre panted, before grabbing both of them by the wrist and dragging them to the argument in question. They arrived at the scene, and Javert was yelling at Lamarque, while the other man stood protectively in front of a transgender student who was quaking in fear. Enjolras wouldn't have known the student had previously been a boy if he hadn't known them. The crowd of students around the arguing adults watched at Javert tossed accusations at Lamarque, who tossed some back. Eventually, the words Enjolras had been waiting for escaped Lamarque's lips.

"Fine! _I quit_," the man yelled, striding away from the argument. The crowd looked in awe after the man, but Enjolras turned to his friends.

"Finally,"

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**Thanks for reading, please review!**


	9. In which everyone applauds

On the night of Lamarque's abdication of his post, Les Amis (which now came to include Eponine and Marius, and then by extension, Cosette) met early in the Musain. The twelve students all buzzed with excitement, even Grantaire seemed more sober than anyone had seen him in a while. Eponine spoke quickly to her companions, trying to keep her mind off of Enjolras' coming speech, because thinking about it made the wait seem longer. When Bossuet laughed loudly, as he tended to do, you could hear an edge in his laughter, like he was waiting for someone to interrupt him. The two couples at the table (Marius and Cosette and Courfeyrac and Jehan) sat next two each other, but neither couple were entirely focused on the affection of their significant other. So when Enjolras was finally ready, everyone was already hanging on his every word before he spoke.

He stood up, and didn't even have to clear his throat to get his friends to be quiet.

"Alright, so our sign has arrived. How we play the next few days is _crucial_. We can't hijack the announcement station just yet, because we have no one to help us, but we'll have to strike soon. We're going to have to carry on as we have been, putting feelers out, except less word of mouth, much more direct. Right now it's about awareness, but make sure that everyone knows who's in charge – and that's us. Talk to everyone you know, don't be depending on being overheard, be assertive. Like I said, crucial,"

Enjolras eyed his friends, breathing out slowly through his nose. They all had similar looks on their faces; looks of determination, and he felt a swell of pride at their resolution. They each believed they could change the way the school worked, and although it wasn't the revolution he dreamt of, it was definitely something.

"We can do this, guys," Courfeyrac chimed in two seats away from Enjolras as the blonde sat down. The friends cheered.

Voices around Eponine began again, each as upbeat and prepared as the next. She sat between Courfeyrac and Enjolras, and was updating Enjolras on whispers she had heard about the subject.

"Loads of people agree with us, I think all we really need to do is give them someone or some_thing_ to stand behind, as opposed to letting them stew in their own thoughts," she informed him. He nodded, and smiled slightly.

"You're beginning to talk like me, Eponine," he teased. She laughed at that, and didn't miss the fact that Enjolras, the guy infamous for being supposedly 'made of marble' was teasing. They were definite influences on each other.

"Hey, Ep," Courfeyrac interrupted. She cringed visibly at the nickname, but turned to face him. Upon seeing her cringing, Courfeyrac corrected himself. "Sorry, Eponine. Listen, I was thinking about bringing Gavroche to the Musain tomorrow. What do you think?"

Eponine grinned widely at that, and said she'd bring Azelma along too. She was a bit young for the meeting, but then so was Gavroche. Courfeyrac smiled and returned to his conversation with his boyfriend (conversation being the loose term, Eponine couldn't hear a whole lot of talking coming from the two boys beside her). "I can't wait to see 'Vroche," Eponine told Enjolras wistfully. "Knowing he's safe with Courfeyrac is wonderful, but I miss having him around. He's just a ball of energy, and we could really use that in our house,"

Enjolras nodded, not quite sure what to say in response to that. He noticed a light in her eyes when she spoke about her brother, something he had only seen when she spoke of her childhood with her siblings, or of her sister Azelma. It made one forget about the rings under her eyes, which made her look older than she was.

"You light up when you talk about your brother and sister," Enjolras commented absentmindedly. Eponine glanced at him oddly, and he reddened when he realised he had spoken out loud.

"You light up when you talk all revolution-y," she retaliated, and just caused Enjolras to redden even more. "So anyway, I was thinking we could stick flyers in anyone who could help us out's lockers, with like your number or something?"

Enjolras agreed, and the two set about making simple flyers, just the details and facts, no need for design.

The following day, the twelve of them set about busily. They hardly allowed themselves time to breath, they were so active darting from person to person, spreading the word. They went in twos, letting people know what they planned on doing, and how they needed supporters, how they desperately needed someone who could hijack the announcement system. They were shot down by more than a few people, people who were either too pessimistic to believe a bunch of students could make a difference, or didn't care. But the group didn't let this get them down, and it just fueled them to talk to more people.

At lunch, everyone reported their progress to Enjolras, but no one had been directly contacted by anyone who could properly assist them in the way they needed.

"Don't lose faith, guys," Enjolras assured them, though no one had. "The ball is still in our court, we just need to wait for people to spread the word. We'll have the assistance we need soon, I know it,"

And he was right. Before Enjolras' last class, as Enjolras was talking to Jehan, a tall girl approached him. She had fiercely curly hair and freckles all over her face.

"Enjolras, right?" she asked. He nodded, taking care not to get his hopes up. "I'm Chloé, and um… I think I might be able to help you guys,"

Enjolras exchanged an excited look with Jehan, before gaining composure and informing Chloé of the meeting in the Musain that night. She smiled at him, returning to her desk.

"We're getting there, Chief," Jehan grinned, and Enjolras allowed himself to nod in agreement.

The Musain was full of life again that night. When Gavroche entered the café with Courfeyrac, Les Amis cheered for the little boy, and Bahorel hoisted the kid on his shoulders and paraded him around. Gavroche loved it, and was giggling and whooping at it. When Bahorel let him down, Gavroche ran to his sisters, who enveloped him in a family bear hug. Eponine looked at her siblings adoringly. They were all each other had, in the end, and although their situation wasn't ideal, she was happy to have to endure it with those two beside her. Gavroche told his sisters stories of antics he got up to at Courfeyrac's (stories Eponine noticed Courfeyrac had cleverly left out when he updated Eponine on her brother's welfare).

"Oh 'Ponine, it was amazin'! We stayed up late, 'til like, midnigh'!" Gavroche enthused. "And Courf is old 'nuff to get proper movies! None o' that stupid PG stuff!"

Both sisters were taken aback by their brother, as such a time away from him had made them almost forget how full of energy he was. He hollered and cheered, and fit in with Les Amis almost immediately, each boy taking to him. Even Cosette liked him, although Eponine couldn't fathom why. When Enjolras was ready to talk to his friends, the group was already in high spirits. Enjolras stood up, and Gavroche dove to Eponine's lap. Azelma looked up at Enjolras in wonder; she had only seen him a couple of times, Eponine remembered.

"Well, everyone, just as we expected, our hard work paid off," Enjolras began, but his further speech was interrupted by his friends cheering. He smirked slightly, before clearing his throat to get their attention again. "Amis, this is Chloé."

Enjolras introduced the freckly girl to the group, who waved meekly, slightly overwhelmed by the noise thirteen peope could make. Eponine felt bad for not having noticed the new person seated at the table to Enjolras' left. She must have just been occupied with her younger brother. Chloé stood up then.

"So, uh, Enjolras was saying that you guys needed to hijack the announcement system or something?" Chloé said quietly, looking to her feet. The group cheered again, prompting Chloé to look up at them. "I think I could help you out,"

Bahorel led a round of applause, which Eponine joined in on, before seeing a growing scowl on Enjolras' face. She soon stopped, encouraging her brother to do the same, eventually allowing a blushing Chloé to continue.

"I used to do the announcements, back when students did them," Chloé continued. "I got a key to the announcement room, which I copied, just in case. So I could probably get you guys in, if you needed that,"

The group looked to Enjolras, who gave a slight, almost undetectable nod. It told them it was okay to applaud, which they did. Bahorel stood up, Joly whistled and Gavroche sang a little. After about ten minutes, when they had calmed down, Enjolras gestured for Chloé to sit down, before beginning his own speech.

"I'd say we set to work in on Monday. It'd be better if it wasn't already so late in the week, but getting to work tomorrow doesn't give us enough time to prepare. But I have a general outline of how we should play this," he addressed them.

He went on to explain his plan. During the last class before lunch, Chloé would let them into the announcement room. Whoever it is on the microphone needed to get the students going, letting them know to text Enjolras if they were interested (at first Enjolras thought to tell them just to go the Musain, but Eponine pointed out that teachers could show up there then). Enjolras would then tell them what to do.

Enjolras grinned at his friends as he sat down. Eponine shifted Gavroche to Azelma's lap (although the kid was almost ten years old, he liked to sit on his sisters' laps. Courfeyrac told her he liked to do this with Courfeyrac too) and turned to Enjolras. To Enjolras' left was Chloé, who was talking to Combeferre.

"Do you really think waiting until Monday is the best plan? If we act fast, we could probably sort everything out tonight. It's not too difficult…" she consulted him. He bit his lip for a minute, truly considering what she was saying. After a minute, he replied.

"I agree, but it's unfair on the others to jump to that straight away. You have to remember that night we're going to have a surge of people at the Musain, and one night's preparation mightn't be enough. I'd rather be safe than sorry," he stated with a sense of finality. Eponine shook her head.

"But the buzz might die down after the weekend, y'know? People are angry now, but on Monday? They might have forgotten," she argued. Enjolras sighed, slightly exasperated. Eponine had developed a habit at contradicting everything he said when they debated, or in this case, argued.

"Eponine, we have to have faith that the people won't forget the injustice that has been done to them. The population whom this doesn't directly affect may not act with us, but the people whose support we need… they won't forget. Would you?" he smiled satisfactorily when Eponine resigned her argument. The rest of the evening went much the same as every other evening went. Everyone dissolved into their own conversations, with the occasional group joke, and people went home at different times.

The people remaining in the Musain were the Thenardier children, Enjolras, Combeferre, Joly, Courfeyrac, Grantaire and Bahorel. They were in a general group discussion over why Eponine hated being called 'Ep'.

"It's just your name – shortened! Why is that so bad?" Bahorel asked, confused. Eponine shrugged, not really wanting to answer. Azelma shot a sneaky glance at her older sister, knowing exactly why her sister hated 'Ep'. Eponine felt her sister's eyes on her, and shot her a warning glare. She didn't need Azelma telling the group that 'Ep the Princess' was what her father used to call her when they had money. He would play with her and tell her stories of princesses, but his Ep was the best princess of them all. Even when their income became to decline he tried to continue calling her Ep, but it became stained with bitterness when he used the name to try and apologize for lashing out at her in his drunken state. Eventually, she convinced him just to stop calling her that, although sometimes it still slipped out, and when it did, she had to be wary.

"It just sounds awful, okay?" she told them, the statement coming out slightly angrier than she had intended, but she felt her friends got the message. Bahorel turned his attention to Gavroche and Azelma then.

"What do you two call her then?" he asked the pair. They exchanged glances, then both looked to Eponine, who shrugged at them, giving them the go-ahead.

"'Ponine," the two kids replied in unison. Bahorel looked to his other friends of the Amis, who nodded.

"And what do you call each other, then?" Combeferre then asked, his eyes still on his book. No-one had known he was even paying attention to the conversation.

"The girls call me 'Vroche, and me and 'Ponine call her 'Zelma," Gavroche replied. A couple of Les Amis laughed at that.

"All the ends of your names then, huh? That's cool," Joly commented, grinning. The Thenardiers shrugged, and Eponine slipped her arms around her siblings. She checked the time on her phone, and sighed.

"Me and 'Zelma better go. G'bye, 'Vroche," she leaned over and kissed her little brother on the forehead, before rising from the table. She waved goodbye to her friends, who waved after her and her sister.

As soon as the door of the Musain shut behind them, Azelma let out a deep sigh.

"Wow, 'Ponine, they're all so _handsome_," her sister swooned. Eponine began to laugh, but soon coughed to cover it up. Les Amis had become like brothers to her, and finding even one of them handsome was unfathomable to her. "Especially Enjolras… his hair looks so soft! Is it soft?"

Eponine's attempts at stopping herself from laughing failed at that, causing her sister's cheeks to redden in embarrassment. Eponine apologized, but _Enjolras_… really? Enjolras was the guy who she debated with, her loaned her his umbrella when it rained… But how someone could consider him handsome…

But the more she thought about it, as her sister went on about it beside her, the more her sister seemed to make sense. He had fairly nice eyes, and a good strong jaw. His golden hair framed his face in a way that could be deemed attractive, she supposed. And he had a nice build, she realised. Okay, maybe her sister wasn't crazy.

"He's not dating anyone, is he?" Azelma asked. Eponine burst into laughter again at that.

"'Zelma, I doubt Enjolras has ever _kissed_ as girl, much less dated one," she told her younger sister, whose face had reddened again. "All those guys are too old for you anyway, so don't even think about any of them that way, alright?"

Azelma rolled her eyes at her sister's lecture, but mumbled an agreement all the same. Eponine shuddered at the thought of any of her friends touching her little sister.

When they arrived home, the two sisters snuck in through Eponine's window, just as Eponine did almost every night. Azelma was about to leave for her own room when Eponine grabbed her wrist. She held a finger to her lips, and went to the door. She pressed her ear against the door, listening for any sign of the Patron Minette. Her stomach dropped when she heard a chorus of drunken laughter come from the living room. She turned and shook her head at her little sister, who sighed.

They were both seated on Eponine's bed when a thunderous knock came at Eponine's door.

"EPONINE! Get out here!" her father yelled drunkenly from the other side of the door. Eponine shooed her sister into a corner of the room where her father wouldn't see her, and unwillingly unlocked her bedroom door. She stuck her head out, and was welcomed with the disgusting smell of alcohol and body odour. The stink of Claquesous' cigarette's met her nose aswell, although it was less overpowering.

"Yeah, dad?" she asked, praying he wouldn't keep her long. He glared at her from a few feet away. He pointed to the ground, telling her wordlessly to come out of her room. She stepped out of the room, taking care to close the door behind her.

"'Parnasse here just told me the most _interesting _story," her father said wickedly. She swallowed as her eyes flashed to the youngest guy in the room. Montparnasse sat menacingly in the corner of the room, most of his body shadowed in darkness. He was wearing that top hat he was so fond of, and he shot her a mischevious smirk, sending chills down her spine.

"What would that be?" she asked warily, trying to keep an eye on each member of the Minette at once. Her father gave her a wry smile, flashing warning signals everywhere.

"'Parnasse says that he saw you talking to a boy a few days ago. Bourgeois, fancy clothes, fancy hair? Ring any bells?" M. Thenardier took a threatening step towards her. Eponine gulped when she realised who they were talking about.

"Enjolras," she murmured. She was lucky her father didn't hear the name, but he didn't miss her recognition.

"So it's true. You've been hanging around with bourgeois boys?" her father spat. "Have you forgotten who you are, Ep? You are lowlife scum, daughter of a crimelord and no more. Don't try and convince yourself otherwise, my dear. Those bourgeois boys you hang around with? They're not your friends. They're surely just tolerating you because they pity you,"

Eponine's eyes fell to the ground, stinging with tears, and she tried to remember her father had been drinking, he was just trying to get a rise out of her. She knew he was wrong, her friends cared about her. They were her _friends_. But her father's words hurt all the same.

After a couple of seconds, she raised her eyes to look into her father's. She blinked away the tears, her brown eyes gleaming with defiance. She remained silent, not trusting herself to speak, and stared her father down.

But taking her eyes away from the rest of the Minette was a mistake she realised too late. In milliseconds, Babet was at her back, clenching her two hands together. She bit her lip to hold back a whimper at the force he pulled her arms behind her. She exhaled slowly through her nose, and continued to glare at her father. She refused to show any of the fear she was feeling inside. Confusion tried to combat the fear for the strongest emotion she was feeling, as Babet's vice-like grip tightened on her wrists, but as Montparnasse rose from his ratty chair, fear turned her blood to ice.

"Why do you try to escape me, Ep?" her father asked, his voice painfully soft. "I am such an awful father to you that you go and play bourgeois with your friends? To try and forget who you are?"

'_Yes_,' Eponine wanted to cry. '_Because they are a ray of sunshine in my life where you are the cloud_,' But she kept her mouth shut, not giving him any reason to harm her.

But even staying silent didn't appease her father. She didn't see his hand come flying at her, but in seconds all she could feel was pain as his hand came in contact with her face. She went to recoil, but Babet's grip kept her from moving very far. Eponine's eyes were hot with tears again, and she couldn't bring herself to look at her father again.

"You will never forget who you are!" her father roared, grabbing a lit cigarette from Claquesous and holding it dangerously close to her wrist, which was now being held out towards her father by Babet. She tried to free her other hand from his grasp, but his hands were like stone.

"Never," M. Thenardier whispered, pressing the hot cigarette against her wrist. She whimpered at the pain, a hot tear rolling down her cheek. When he pulled the cigarette away and handed it back to Claquesous, Eponine made another attempt to wrench her hand from Babet's clutch, but it proved futile. Her eyes went from the growing blister on her wrist to her father's eyes. She watched as the hate-filled eyes stared at her, as if planning out what he would do next. She wanted to say something, to convince him to let her go, he'd had his fun, but her mind was focused on the searing pain in her arm and couldn't think about anything else.

"Those boys must really pity you, to let you hang around with them all the time," her father mused, taking a step back from her. She cursed internally at the beginning of this new rant. He turned his head away from her, taking in the rest of the room, and she could see gears clicking in his head as he planned out the perfect insult to hurt her. She gulped, preparing herself for whatever he was going to say next, searing pain still coming from the cigarette burn.

"Or maybe it's not because they pity you that they put up with you. Maybe…" her father's eyes narrowed, and his head snapped back in her direction. "You're sleeping with all of them,"

The shock of the statement made Eponine gasp, while feeling like she had a lack of oxygen at the same time. She would _never_ sleep with someone just so she wouldn't be alone.

"Never," she hissed through her teeth, glaring at her father. She didn't miss the quick flash of success in her father's eyes. She bit her lip to stop herself from trying to hit him.

"She's lying!" exclaimed one of her father's cronies. Eponine didn't know which, but a burning hatred boiled in her gut upon hearing those words. Her father glanced behind him, and when he turned back to Eponine, he looked malicious. He stepped towards her again, and she braced herself. It took all her strength to keep her eyes open.

"If you let that bourgeouis dirt touch you, I think boys of your own class should get the same privilege, don't you?" her father was suddenly at her ear, his hot, beer-stained breath sending unwelcome shivers down her spine. She could see what was coming next, and she wrestled to try and get out of Babet's grip more than ever. But the more she struggled, the tighter Babet gripped her. Fear struck in Eponine's heart when the young shadow who stood in the corner of the room took a step towards her. Eponine wasn't sure when it happened, but soon Babet's steely grip was replaced by Montparnasse's. Having his warm hands gripped around her wrists felt worse than Babet. Soon Montparnasse's head was on her shoulder, and she flinched.

"I'm going to leave you and 'Parnasse alone," her father whispered, before leading the others of the Minette out of the room. Eponine was breathless again, her heart hurting at the satisfaction in his face. He was her father, he wasn't supposed to leave her with filth like Montparnasse. Before Eponine could respond or try to escape Montparnasse's clutches, he began to kiss her neck. Each kiss burned in a different way to the cigarette burn on her arm, but felt just as awful. She tried to wriggle away from him, but his arms snaked around her waist.

"Get off me," she hissed, her hands now semi-free. Montparnasse ignored her, and continued.

"You love it," he whispered into her hair, and she felt a deeper hatred for him than she thought possible. Her hands, though free, were still trapped behind her. To her relief, they were in the perfect position to-

"What the hell Eponine!" Montparnasse yelled, springing away from her. His hand rubbed his groin, where she had pinched him. Tears began to flow down Eponine's face (although she wasn't sure if that had already been happening or if it had just begun), and she slapped Montparnasse. When her hand made contact it gave a satisfying _crack_. She darted from the living room into her room, locking the door behind her. Tears were still streaming down her cheeks as she almost flew out the fire escape window, despite her sister's concerned pleas to stay. She shut the window behind her and ran down the fire escape. She shivered; she realised she had forgotten a jacket. A few seconds after making this realisation, she decided she didn't care. She had to get out of that apartment. She ran down the street, tears blurring her vision. What was she going to do now?

* * *

**So there we go. It was happy and now i don't know. So uh, please review! Your feedback means a bunch to me. See you next time!**


	10. in which cosette is helpful

Eponine stumbled alone through the dark streets of Paris. The heavens had opened, and she was already soaked to the bone. She didn't know how long she had been walking for, but it felt like years. She ran for a while, before slowing down and walking, and then began to run once again. Each time her feet hit the puddle-filled street the sounds of the footsteps echoed in her ears. She wasn't even sure if she was still crying anymore, the rain ran down her face all the same, mingled with tears or otherwise.

A fierce wind started up. It blew Eponine's wet hair behind her, which she was slightly thankful for, but she cursed the wind for blowing rain into her eyes. She was forced to squint, her eyes barely open, as she continued to walk. Maybe if she kept walking, it would be morning. Maybe this was all a bad dream.

In the rain, Eponine didn't see the figure walking in front of her until she bumped into them.

"S-sorry," Eponine stammered, continuing on her way, not even pausing to check if the person she bumped into was alright.

"Eponine?" the figure called after her. The familiar sweet voice made Eponine freeze in place. The rain continued to come at her from all directions as she turned to face Cosette Fauchelevent.

The blonde girl stood in the rain, a pink umbrella held above her head. She was dressed in the same outfit she had worn to the Musain earlier that night, denim shorts and coloured tights, a neat white blouse and a pretty pink jacket. She must have gone back to Marius' after the Musain, and was just on her way Musain felt like so long ago to Eponine now.

Eponine looked for words to greet Cosette with. Words to make her think everything was alright. Or perhaps words to ask for help. But asking for help was not familiar to Eponine, and when she tried to summon the phrases she knew, they caught in her throat. Cosette stepped nearer to her, and Eponine knew she would have to say something soon.

"Help," she croaked, falling into the delicate girl's embrace. She felt Cosette stiffen at her touch, before soon relaxing. Cosette wrapped her arms around Eponine, and Eponine sobbed.

"Where's the nearest Amie house?" Cosette demanded softly. Eponine thought for a minute, looking around. Although rain and tears blurred her vision, she knew exactly who to go to.

Enjolras was at work in the living room. He listened to the rain attack the roof above him, a welcome sound. He had a mug of hot coffee to his left, and a schoolbook in front of him. The only light in his entire house was the one at his desk.

He was well at work when a knock came at the door. He checked the time, and was shocked at how late it was. Most likely it was Grantaire at the door, too drunk after a party to make it the entire way home. He rose from his chair, slightly stiff, and went to the door.

The last thing he expected to see when he pulled the door open was a soaked Cosette and Eponine, Cosette doing all she could to shelter both of them underneath a small pink umbrella. Without letting him say anything, Cosette barged through the door, her arm around Eponine's waist. She sat her drenched companion down on Enjolras' couch, before turning to answer Enjolras, who stood at the doorway, getting pelted by scattered drops of rain, mouth wide open.

"She needs help," Cosette said simply. Enjolras nodded; he could see that. He shut the front door, and managed to root his feet from the ground and walk over to the brunette on the couch.

Eponine sat rigid on the couch. Her brown eyes, usually warm, were dead and cold. Raindrops slid down her face from her hairline, but it was as if she didn't notice them. Her hand absentmindedly stroked her other arm, rubbing it as if it hurt. Enjolras saw this, and sat beside her. He took the arm she was rubbing and pushed up the sleeve. On it he found a white blister, something he recognised as a cigarette burn. His eyes widened when he realised what it was. He glanced over at Cosette, who looked at the burn with the same expression he imagined he had.

"Cosette, you should go home. It's late," Enjolras decided, rising from his seat. If he knew Eponine half as well as he thought he did, it would take a while to get her to talk. Cosette was hesitant, but a quick look between herself and Eponine made the decision for her. She nodded, took her umbrella, and left. Enjolras didn't sit beside Eponine again, but instead crouched in front of her.

"Eponine," he whispered, taking her wrist lightly in his hand. He felt her flinch slightly at his touch, and he let go immediately. He looked up to her brown eyes, and was relieved to see the coldness in them begin to melt. He took her wrist again, and she didn't flinch this time. His hand went to the area around the blister, and he exhaled slowly.

"What happened?" he asked softly. Eponine looked at him, all trace of the deadness that had been in them gone, but the emotion that filled them was almost more saddening. Tears welled up in her eyes, and Enjolras had never seen a person look so broken. In seconds he was on the couch beside her, his two hands still holding her one. He didn't know for how long they sat there, in silence, her sitting still as if that would stop her from crumbling into a million pieces, him holding her handm terrified that she would crumble before him.

Eventually, she broke the silence. Her voice was raspy and cracked as she spoke, evidence of tears choking her. She was slow telling him the story, of how she came home and soon was called by her father. He was silent as she told him of her father's accusations. He didn't try to deny them, Eponine knew they weren't true, she knew that they were her friends. He didn't need to remind her. He was fuming when he learned that her father thought she was 'allowed' hang around with them because she was giving them sexual favours. And he was on the verge of marching over to the Thenardiers' house himself to slap some sense into and his cronies when Eponine told him what had been done to her.

She remained completely composed and calm as she told the story, as if she was telling someone else's tale; but when she finished, and Enjolras squeezed her hand, she was sobbing again. She didn't even know why she was crying, really. All it was, in the end, was a cigarette burn, a slap, and a few kisses. She reflected on it as tears spilled from her eyes, and it was as if she was watching herself cry from outside. She felt detached, and wasn't consciously sobbing, wasn't consciously crying loudly, but she was aware that it was happening to her, almost as if from an outsider's point of view.

One thing she was all too aware of was Enjolras' hands gripping hers. His hands were actually huge, she noticed, but not in the way Bahorel's hands were huge. They had long, elegant fingers, and they were thin and cold, but her skin felt warm where he touched her. She could see the veins running up to his knuckles, and she could feel the blood pumping through them.

"This isn't the worst he's ever done to you, is it?" Enjolras finally asked, when he had calmed down from his fury at her father and Montparnasse. She smiled almost weakly as her eyes fell to the floor, and she began to examine her soaking sneakers. She pretended she didn't hear him, and her eyes followed the intricate patterns her laces seemed to make.

"Eponine," Enjolras insisted, squeezing her hand to get her attention. She exhaled slowly, and brought her attention back to him..

"No, it's not," she said simply, trying her hardest not to let the pain she felt inside come out in her voice, which she succeeded in until the last syllable, on which her voice cracked. She bit her lip to try and distract her, but it didn't do anything. The first memory that resurfaced was the same as it always was.

She remembered it clearly, as if it had only happened a few days before, instead of a few years. She could feel her fathers grubby hands pinch her arms, and she could feel his heavy boots kicking her side. Subconsciously, she gripped her waist with her left arm, a reflex that occurred whenever she recalled that pain.

She remember the day he broke her wrist, and when he claimed she broke it playing with Azelma when he brought her to the hospital. She didn't deny it.

Eponine wasn't aware of Enjolras putting his arm around her shoulder, but all she knew was that he was holding her close to his chest and she was still crying into his shirt. She tried to pull herself together, and eventually the tears stopped. Enjolras didn't let go at the same time. They sat in pure silence, his two arms around her back, holding her to him, her arms curled up against him, her face pressed up against him. She couldn't help but think about what a wonderful friend he was to her for doing this. She found there were stirrings in her at that that may not have been solely platonic, but she pushed them down, ignoring them to her best ability.

Eventually she pulled back, trying to portray as much thanks as she could in her expression. She knew that Enjolras wasn't the best at gauging feelings, but she saw in his face that he understood. He rose and got her tissues, which she used gratefully, drying her face, and she was more than relieved that she had finally stopped crying.

Enjolras stood awkwardly for a minute, Eponine sitting, looking up at him and then looking down when he looked at her, before he cleared his throat.

"So what do you want to do now?" he asked her, sitting down again. She bit her lip. She thought of anything she could do, possibilities running through her mind. One thing she was sure of was she couldn't go home. She could stay with Courfeyrac, like Gavroche was doing, but then she felt that may be a bit mean to do to the poor boy's parents.

"I don't know," she finally admitted. She tucked her hair behind her ears, thinking. Hours of silence seemed to pass between them then, both trying to come up with a solution. Then, Enjolras spoke, piercing the silence.

"You can stay here," he blurted. She watched regret flash across his face, as if he feared rejection. But she was incredibly thankful. She sprang from her side of the couch and threw her arms around his neck, thanking him profusely. She could tell Enjolras was somewhat taken aback by the show of affection, but he eased in seconds and squeezed her tightly, before letting her go and easing her back to her own side of the couch.

"Listen, you sleep in my bed, and I'll sleep on the couch. We'll figure out more permanent stuff tomorrow, okay?" he decided. Eponine was about to argue, about to insist she would sleep on the couch, not wanting to impose, but there was a look in his eye that didn't seem to allow for arguing. Instead, she thanked him again, before following him up to his room. He opened the door for her, like the gentleman he was. Eponine looked down at her soaked outfit, presuming she would sleep in it. She sighed slightly, but thanked Enjolras again. Enjolras picked up on the look immediately, and stepped into the room after her.

"No way am I letting you sleep in those clothes. What do you take me for?" he joked, opening drawers and cupboards. He turned to face her, holding an old t-shirt and some sweatpants. He handed them to her. He then went and grabbed a pair of pyjama pants for himself, before bidding her goodnight. He was just about to walk downstairs when she called after him.

"Enjolras!" she called. He turned instantly on his heel, facing her. "Thanks again, for this. You didn't have to,"

He smirked kindly, and then laughed slightly. "Yeah, I did. You're my friend, Eponine,"

She smiled at that, then bid him goodnight again. She closed his door then, and wasn't the least bit surprised when she saw a French flag taped to the door. She quickly changed into the clothes Enjolras provided her with, and couldn't help notice how distinctly they smelled of _Enjolras_. It was a pleasant smell, she wasn't going to lie. In fact, she stood there, sniffing his clothes, for a length of time that she would be embarrassed about anyone else knowing about.

She was suddenly hit with a wave of exhaustion, and she had just enough energy to turn off the overhead light and collapse on Enjolras' bed. She fell asleep in seconds, pleasantly drowning in the scent of her best friend.

Enjolras' parents worked every day of the week, Eponine found out the next morning. She was apparently the last person to know this, because she was awoken by Bossuet's laughter downstairs. Without thinking properly, she traipsed downstairs, and into the kitchen. All activity in the room ceased when she stepped a sleepy foot through the door. She looked around at the people in the room; Bossuet, Courfeyrac, Combeferre and Enjolras. She noticed Enjolras looked incredibly guilty, Bossuet and Combeferre shocked, and Courfeyrac was already laughing at the situation. Eponine blushed when she realised what it would look like, her coming downstairs in _Enjolras' _house, wearing _Enjolras' _freaking clothes. She and Enjolras stumbled over each other, both trying to explain what had happened the night before, neither wanting to divulge too much of Eponine's predicament. Her predicament being, that she was practically homeless.

"It's not what it looks like - !"

"Okay it's kinda complicated - "

But Courfeyrac's laughter became infectious, and soon the other two boys in the room were laughing hysterically at them. Eponine and Enjolras swapped uncomfortable looks, Eponine now feeling incredibly awkward in Enjolras' clothes that had felt so comfy the night before. She became conscious that she wasn't wearing a bra, and blushed. She crossed her arms across her chest, she hoped inconspicuously.

Eventually, the three boys calmed down, Combeferre being the first. He got the other two to quieten after him.

"So why did Eponine spend the night at your house, 'Jolras?" Combeferre asked reasonably, while Courfeyrac was biting his lip beside him to stop himself from laughing, or worse, suggesting something.

"Well, uh," Enjolras glanced at Eponine, who gave him a soft nod. He didn't have to tell them everything, just enough. So he did. He told the boys that Eponine had had a rough night at home, and had to get out. When he said that, Eponine became aware she was wearing a short-sleeved top, and subconsciously covered the burn on her forearm with her hand. Enjolras then continued and said how Cosette had found her wandering Paris, and brought her to his house. He told them about how they decided it would be best for Eponine to sleep at his house, instead of returning home (although he conviently left out the bit about her hugging him; she was thankful for that).

When he was done, the other three boys' eyes slowly lifted to Eponine. Courfeyrac was the first to reach her and envelope her in a hug, and she was forced to take her hand from her forearm and hug him back. The other two soon joined them for the hug, and Eponine felt gratefully crushed under the weight of her friends squeezing her. Combeferre was the first to break the hug, but he was the first to see the burn on her arm.

"Eponine, what happened?" he asked, grabbing her arm. She groaned internally, debating whether or not to dismiss it as nothing.

"That was the rough night," she answered quietly, and she could feel the pity radiating from the three boys. She cast her eyes down, not wanting to see the looks of pity on their faces. Because of this, she didn't see the look Enjolras gave his friends, a look of 'don't push it'.

"Well, you definitely can't go home," Courfeyrac concurred. Everyone in the room nodded, and silence befell them. Courfeyrac then broke the silence with a swear. He checked the time.

"'Jolras, I'm really sorry, but we had better get going. Eponine, we'll figure out what you can do at the Musain tonight, okay?" he kissed her forehead, and jogged out of the kitchen, followed by Bossuet and Combeferre, leaving Eponine and Enjolras alone. They stood in the kitchen silently for a moment, before Enjolras cleared his throat.

"I've got some work to do, but, uh, do you want breakfast? Or a book, or something?" he suggested. Eponine then realised painfully that she had forgotten her much treasured copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_. But she composed herself, and said she would figure out what to do with her breakfast, but if she could read his copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_, that would be great.

So Eponine spent most of her morning curled up on Enjolras' couch, reading her favourite book and drinking Enjolras' expertly prepared coffee, with Enjolras working away at the desk only a metre or so away from her. He told her that usually he worked in his room, but he would keep her company downstairs. Only twice did it occur to her that Enjolras had slept on the couch she was sitting on the night before.

One thing Eponine had not expected was for Enjolras' mother to stride through the front door. And it was clear that Enjolras' mother hadn't expected to arrive home to see a girl she had never seen before sitting on her couch wearing her son's clothes.

Upon seeing his mother, Enjolras jumped from his seat at his desk to go an explain himself. Eponine was already blushing.

"Mom! This is my friend Eponine," he began. "She, um, has got some family issues at the moment, so I told her she could spend the night here,"

Eponine could tell from Mme. Enjolras' face that Enjolras having friends spend the night was most irregular. As was Enjolras having a female friend, it seemed, which was made clear by Mme. Enjolras' reddening cheeks and spluttering.

To try and make the situation less awkward, Eponine waved and said hi. Mme. Enjolras just stared at her, as if she wasn't real. Eponine shot a very brief, panicked look at Enjolras. He widened his eyes helplessly, and both of them resorted to looking at his mother, waiting for her to say something. But instead of saying anything, the woman turned on her heel and walked back out the door again. Enjolras let out a sigh of relief at her absence.

"Your mom seems nice," Eponine tried, after a few minutes. Enjolras laughed then, and sat at his desk again. Before he set to work, he checked the time.

"Um, I'm going to be working for most of the day, and I'll be heading to the Musain at the usual time…" he said, grasping for the correct words to say. "Basically… you don't have to stay here for me,"

Eponine smiled at that, and assured him that she wouldn't. She was almost finished reading the book, but she wasn't in a rush to go anywhere. She figured it wouldn't be the worst thing to stay inside with Enjolras all day. There was a reminder of the weather pattering on Enjolras' rooftop, so it wasn't as if she was going to go out on a walk. She only rose from her seat to brush her teeth and perform other hygiene practices.

As the day continued, Enjolras found it very hard to work with his friend sitting only metres away from him. His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of her turning the pages in her book. He was overly conscious of her breathing, and he found himself staring at the page, pen in hand, just listening. _In, out. In, out._ He would look up from his book, and see her curled up in the corner of his couch. His t-shirt and sweatpants were huge on her, and she was swimming in them. She looked so comfortable. If he could just go over there and wrap his arms around her-

Where had that come from? His cheeks flushed, and he looked back down at his book, desperately tapping his pen, trying to concentrate. He had not thought that. That had not happened. He glanced up at her nervously, as if she could hear his thoughts. She was oblivious, and was still reading. He returned his attention to his book, and tried to drown out the thought with knowledge. It seemed successful for a few minutes, but he found his mind drifting to the night before. His free hand went to his shirt, where she had cried her eyes out.

Thinking back, he could still feel her clutched against him. Looking down at his hands, he could still feel her pulse underneath them. He could hear her sobs echo in his ears. He could smell her, the scent of rained-on Eponine. He could feel her head under his chin, and he recalled the feeling of being her protector. That night, he had been so sure he could save her from her family. He remembered the sensation, of wanting to run to her home that instant and beat her father to a pulp. The feeling still resided in him a little, in fact. His hand clenched into a fist on the desk. He was close to getting up and going over there right –

"'Jolras? You okay?" Eponine's voice brought him out of his rage. His hand loosened, and he looked over at her.

"Uh, yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Sorry," he apologised, before looking down at his book again. He could see her nod from the corner of his eye. He tried to focus on the words on the page once again. He succeeded, for about a second, before her breathing invaded his thoughts again. He had to stop himself from groaning. He snuck a peek at her from the corner of his eye, and just watched her chest rise and fall as she breathed, not moving except for when she turned the page.

Once again, he confronted himself. He was looking at the pages, but _what was he thinking? _Eponine didn't distract him. She was his friend. He wasn't distracted by Combeferre's breathing, and he didn't remember the scent of Grantaire after he carried the drunk home. He didn't feel anything for Eponine, she was just _Eponine_, for Christ sakes.

After about a half hour of trying to rid Eponine from his thoughts, he managed to focus on his work, and worked until eveningfall. He checked the time as he realised the room became darker. He cleared his throat to get Eponine's attention.

"Musain time," he smiled, rising from his seat. Eponine nodded, and put her book aside. She looked down at herself then, as if realising she was still wearing Enjolras' clothes. "Oh," Enjolras whispered awkwardly.

"I'm clean, I have underwear on. Not the end of the world," she shrugged, smiling a little. She gestured for Enjolras to get a move on. He laughed slightly, and grabbed his familiar red umbrella. They stepped outside, and he opened it above their heads. Eponine gripped the umbrella with one hand as Enjolras closed the front door after them.

The rain attacked their umbrella then, and Eponine gripped Enjolras' arm to get away from the rain that was coming at them from all sides. Not that it did her much good. Enjolras' jaw clenched when her hand held onto his arm, and he tried to think of anything but her, walking beside him, clutching to him for warmth because she forgot to get a jacket. She was taking up most of the umbrella, as she usually did, but he didn't feel the raindrops landing on his head as he watched her speaking animatedly. He tried to listen to what she was saying, something about how cold she was, or maybe about _To Kill a Mockingbird_. He nodded, pretending to listen, because all his thoughts were revolving around the petite brunette who was clinging to his side.

* * *

**Wow Enjolras has feelings. So I hope you liked that chapter, review, y'know, if you want. School's starting again for me soon, so I probably won't be able to update as frequently as I'd like. Til next time!**


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